In the end, after continuous pressure from indigenous organizations and civil society the government finally presented to the parliament the law that should create the Indigenous Council, on June 12^th. This is 55 days after President Lula signed the order to present the project.

 

Lula signed the the order on April 18^th, during a meeting with indigenous meetings, just after the Terra Livre Camp. Normally, after such orders, a law project is presented within three or for days.  

 

The indigenous people of Brazil revindicate the creation of a National Council for Indigenous Matters, with a deliberative character. Via this body they will be able to discuss and influence the politics regarding the indigenous. The current proposal was elaborated by members of the National Committee of Indigenous Politics (CNPI).

 

On the same meeting, on April 18, president Lula promised to participate at the next reunion of the CNPI, June 19.

 

***

 

Though promised a year ago Demarcation Taskforces still not implemented

 

Once more the Guarani Kaiowá of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul demanded that the National Foundation for Indigenous People (Funai) implement the anthropological taskforces to identify 36 indigenous traditional areas of them, as was agreed upon in November 2007.

 

On June 6 and 7 the Guarani gathered at the Aty Guasu, their assembly, at the indigenous areas of Jaguapiré, in Tacuru to discuss these and other questions. At the end of the Aty Guasu the Guarani wrote a declaration to Funai once more demanding the installation of the taskforces. These taskforces are the first step to the recognition and demarcation of indigenous areas. If the request is disregarded, the Guarani will denounce the Federal government to national and international courts. As a result of the lack of land the Guarani Kaiowá communities experience an ever growing violence.

 

According to the agreement signed by the Guarani communities and the Funai in November 2007, the taskforces ought to have started in March 2008, but until now thay have not been initiated.

 

According to a spokesperson of the Funai the start has been postponed to an undefined date. The anthropologist that will participate have been selected already and they would be in training at the moment, establishing the priorities of the work and in which area each group will work.  

 

During the Aty Guasu assembly the Guarani also chose their representatives for the National Committee for indigenous Politics (CNPI), which are Anastácio Peralta and his substitute Roberto Carlos. Anastácio Peralta will be in the capital Brasília for the next CNPI meeting and will discuss the question of the taskforces with the Funai. “It is very important that the taskforces start with their work so that the areas can be recognized and demarcated, but there is a lot of pressure to not install the taskforces. Large landowners and politicians of Mato Grosso do Sul organized themselves to create this pressure,” Anastácio commented. 

 

According to research of the Universidade Católica Dom Bosco of Campo Grande, besides these 36 areas, over a hundred Guarani areas a wait demarcation.

 

At the assembly the Guarani also discussed the ongoing violence that various communities suffer, like Kurussu Ambá. They also denounced the installation of an electric fence around a alcohol plant in construction, which is in the immediate surroundings of the Jatawari village in Lima Campo leading to dangerous situations.