"The children of the village are suffering most from lack of food and basic conditions for survival." Regional media report that several children were eating only cassava flour mixed with water. According to indigenous mothers, it is often all they have to eat for the entire day. "Often times I had nothing to give to her. She died of starvation. She suffered terribly". (Marcelina Rodriguez, 26, Guarani Kaiowá, mother of Takihi ,1 year and six months, who died in Kurussu Ambá in February this year).

In Coronel Sapucaia, in the Brazilian – Paraguaian border region 380 km from Campo Grande, is Kurussu Ambá [Sacred Cross] located. Ethnic Guarani Kaiowá children, women and men are barely surviving overhere.

Suffering by the members of that community and neglect of that on the part of government is what journalists recorded when they were on site at the invitation of the Center for the Defense of Human Rights (CDDH) about two weeks ago.
 
The dispute over land involving indigenous peoples and rural producers is a problem that has been aggravated to the extent that agreements do not advance. The federal government even announced the purchase of areas in the region to regularize the situation of the indigenous people.
 
The state government already prepays the distribution of assistance food baskets. But it’s not what happens. Foods that come to the village are from the National Foundation for Indigenous Affairs (Funai)

Reality and death
About 200 indigenous people awaiting land demarcation are encamped on less than a hectare of Fazenda Maria Auxiliadora. This has lasted seven months. Before, they lived in a camp on the edge of the state highway MS-284, where they stayed for just over two years.
 
Kurussu Ambá has been the scene of conflicts between the indigenous people and gunmen of the region. Since 2007, when the most violent conflict occurred and the Guarani were expulsed from the area of Fazenda Madama, four leaders have been assassinated: Julita Lopes, Ortiz Lopes, Oswaldo Lopes and Osmair Martins. According to indigenous accounts, all were victims of gunmen in this area nationally known for violence, for being a lawless land.
 
Hunger
The Funai is delivering groceries, but not with regularity, about every 15 days. According to Ismarthe Martins, indigenous organizer responsible for the distribution of food baskets in the village, sometimes Funai employees take more than 20 days to make a delivery.
 
"One basket for a family of seven people barely lasts a week. We are always without of food here in the village. Sometimes they delay deliveries almost 30 days", says Martins.
 
The children of the village are those who suffer most from lack of food and basic conditions for survival. The report by Midiamax caught several children eating only cassava flour mixed with water. According to indigenous mothers, it is often all they have to eat for the entire day.
 
In the improvised kitchens in the tarpaulin huts and dirt floor, stoves made of piled stones and on top of them virtually empty pans, with only a little oil and the rest of rice, the lunch menu, which according to the indians is the only meal that day.
 
In the region where the Indigenous village is located there are large plantations of corn, soy, and cattle.

On the grounds of the village there is a spring that is the only source of water that the indigenous people use for drinking, food preparation and bathing. "We are abandoned here. We are always lacking things and we make what is given us to eat," reported Cacilda Pereira.

In addition to the lack of food, now with the onset of winter, other problems arise, primarily those of health. As the temporary shacks have no protection from wind and low temperatures in this region of the state at this time of year, the indigenous families of Kurussu Ambá are victims of influenza, colds and pneumonia, exacerbated by lack of food and medical care. "As we have no medicine here we have to resort to nature. We make home made remedies and try to do what is possible",  says indigenous community member Levanda Varela.
 
In the seven months since the Guarani left the edge of the highway and went to the Maria Auxiliadora Fazenda area, they have been able to create a small planting of cassava and potatoes, but it is insufficient to meet the needs of the village residents.

Takihara
Little Takihara Batista, 1 year and six months, was one more victim of malnutrition in the indigenous villages of Mato Grosso do Sul. She died this year in the month of February in Kurussu Ambá.
Marcelina Rodriguez, 26, still suffering the premature death of her daughter, says Takihara died of hunger, because they often had no food to give the little girl. "Often times I had nothing to give her. She died of starvation. She suffered so much", her mother said crying.
The girl’s father, Jaberson Batista, 30, said the baby was vomiting and had diarrhea on the day she died. "There was nothing we could do. There is no medical care here. The [health] post is very far away from the village and we have to walk", said the father who has two other young children.
 
The baby girl was buried without a coffin in a remote area of the village. A small cross with a mound of earth indicates where little Takihara is, one of scores of children who have been born in the southern state, but have not had the right to live.
In 2005, the death of 37 indigenous children in the southern region of the state from malnutrition and related illnesses had international repercussions. However, deaths from these causes began to be recorded in previous years. In 2004, for example, there were 15 deaths.

Three years after the record of child deaths in the indigenous villages in Mato Grosso do Sul, the House of Representatives created the CPI of the Federal Chamber of Malnutrition that ended without any concrete actions to end the problem that afflicts the children of the state. In the Legislative Assembly of Mato Grosso do Sul, the issue was echoed, but again not projected so that an effective action occured.

Donations
Representatives from the Marçal de Souza Center for Defense of Human Rights (CDDH) were in the village on June 23rd  and delivered clothes and blankets to the families of Kurussu Ambá . "In addition to donations, we are here to monitor the situation of the Guarani here in the village," said CDDH president, Paul Angelo.

"Their situation is worrying and requires the maximum of attention from the authorities", emphasized Paul Angelo saying the CDDH will enter a protest representation to federal and state prosecutors denouncing the neglect of the indigenous people of the village of Kurussu Ambá.

Sacrifices
For Elizeu Lopes the situation of misery is connected to the struggle for land, to demarcation. "This is our hope. My people will stop suffering when they have their own land at hand". The Guarani Kaiowá of Kurussu Ambá claim of 18,000 hectares, but according to the indigenous leader, the indigenous areas embrace 80,000 hectares.
 
"We are suffering here. There are many sacrifices that we are experiencing. My grandfather died on this land, my family died on this land. This land is ours," stated the cacique of the village.

Marked for death
According to the leader and teacher of the village, Elizeu Lopes, since they left the area of the Fazenda Madama the situation, which was already critical, has worsened. "We are without food and the other grave problem is the lack of medical care", says Lopes reporting that due to innumerable death threats received, he no longer lives in the village.

"I, as a leader, am marked for death. I constantly receive death threats. The border is here and is not a game for us. There is no way for me to remain here, none, I will end up dead".

Denunciation
Three Funai technicians from Brasilia were in the village to serve a court order. According to the technician from the  General Monitoring Coordination of Funai, Marcelo Cantuário, the lessee and owner of the farm filed suit in court against the indigenous people and claim that they were degrading nature in the occupied area.
"We have stayed here for a week and contend that there is no degradation of nature on site. We conclude here that the Indians are living in perfect harmony with nature", said the technician.

Emergency donation

donations to the families of Colonel Sapucaia   can refer them to the Commissão de Direitos Humanos (CDDH – Human Rights Committee) located at Rua Manoel Vieira de Souza, 554 Vila Sao Paulo. CEP: 79081 -150 Campo Grande – MS. Tel. (67) 3045-3440 or 3045 3441