– Indigenous organizations challenge administrative ruling which earmarks funds for indigenous health care in municipalities

– Security guards hired by the Syngenta company killed a militant from Via Campesina in the state of Paraná

 

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Indigenous organizations challenge administrative ruling which earmarks funds for indigenous health care in municipalities

 

On October 18, the Minister of Health issued an Administrative Ruling providing for fund transfers to municipal health care networks to assist indigenous people. Indigenous organizations believe that this decision, which was not discussed with indigenous people, reinforces the municipalization process of indigenous health care.

 

Administrative Ruling No 2,656 signed by Minister José Gomes Temporão regulates the transfer of funds for municipalities to implement basic and special heath care for indigenous peoples. The amount of financial resources to be transferred to the municipalities will vary according to the size of the population to be assisted. These transfers, which are already being made, have been challenged by indigenous organizations, accoding to which this decision reinforces the municipalization process of indigenous health care.

 

The Coordinating Board of Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon Region (Coiab), stressed in a note that the municipalization of the Indigenous Health Care Subsystem is a “result of the state’s inability to deal with indigenous people’s issues.” According to the organization, this decision means that indigenous people will have to compete for beds in hospitals and treatment in public health stations with non-indigenous people. 

 

The organizations are also worried with the lack of proper training of doctors and nurses in public health stations in dealing with specific features of different indigenous peoples. In a note issued by the Forum of Paiter Suruí People Organizations, from the state of Rondônia, they recalled that “those professionals dealing with indigenous peoples must be properly trained.”

 

Funds and lack of debate

Historically, the indigenous movement is against the municipalization of the health care system, mainly because of how funds are managed in it. Indigenous people now fear that health care will be influenced by the political interests of mayors, alderpersons and secretaries, who will too much power in relation to how funds will be used and, very often, are adversaries of indigenous people in land disputes.

 

In the opinion of Saulo Feitosa, Cimi’s deputy secretary, although the National Health Foundation (Funasa) argues that the Administrative Ruling will regulate the transfer of funds, the concern of the indigenous organizations is legitimate and necessary. “Strengthening outsourcing and the municipalization of indigenous health care through fund transfer are even more worrying, considering that municipal elections will be held next year.”

 

At the meeting held in September, the National Commission for the Indigenous Policy (CNPI) approved a recommendation to the Minister of Health asking him not to publish Administrative Ruling No 2,656 before it is discussed by the Committee. The Committee’s request was published in the Official Gazette; however, the Minister did not respect the CNPI decision.

 

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Security guards hired by the company Syngenta killed a militant from Via Campesina in the state of Paraná

 

On October 21, about 40 private security guards opened fire against a group of landless rural workers who were occupying an area for research trials that belonged to the Syngenta Seeds multinational company in Santa Tereza do Oeste, in the state of Paraná. In this attack, they killed Valmir Mota with two shots in the chest and left six people seriously injured.

 

The area was occupied on Sunday morning (October 21) by about 150 people from Via Campesina. At about 1:30 pm, a microbus stopped in front of the entrance gate and a group of about 40 armed gunmen got off the bus and started shooting at the people there. They forced the gate open, killed Valmir Mota, a member of Via Campesina, shot five people and beat up Isabel do Nascimento de Souza. Soon after, one of the gunmen was killed in another conflict.

 

Different social and human rights organizations in Brazil requested an investigation into these killings, torture and threats, and that the guilty ones be punished. They also expressed their concerns with other militants that continue to be threatened in the west region of the state of Paraná.

 

Yesterday, Célia Aparecida Lourenço and Celso Barbosa, both members of the Landless Movement (MST) and from Via Campesina, testified to the chief of the police station of Cascavel, who is carrying out the investigation. like had happened to Valmir, they have received death threats in recent months. 

 

Next Saturday, October 28, social movements in the state of Paraná will stage a demonstration to pay homage to Valmir Mota in the city of Cascavel. On that occasion, a seventh day mass will be celebrated for him. It will be attended by representatives Dr. Rosinha (Workers’ Party- state of São Paulo) and Luiz Couto (Workers’ Party- State of Paraíba).

 

Background

The place where the crime took place, a research trial area belonging to the Syngenta company, was occupied by the rural workers in March 2006 to denounce the illegal cultivation of soybean and transgenic corn seeds close to a forest reserve. On that occasion, the government of the state of Paraná expropriated the area to build an agroecological school in it. However, a court annulled this decision and the families had to leave the area in July 2007. 

 

Brasília, October 25, 2007

www.cimi.org.br

Indianist Missionary Council