ONE FURTHER THREAT TO THE LAND RIGHTS OF THE GUARANI KAIOWÁ

 

Once again, the Guarani Kaiowá who live in the Nhanderu Marangatu indigenous land region in the municipality of Antonio João, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, are being threatened with eviction from their lands, resulting from compliance with a land rights order for the area repossessed in 2004. The area lies inside the territory, which was recognized by Funai in 1999 and was demarcated as indigenous land in October 2004. 

 

On January 7, the Guarani Kaiowá released a document stating that they intend to remain on and defend their repossessed lands, which are now being cultivated. “From 1998, we waited in a small area of 26 hectares (…) until, at the end of last year, we moved into this small piece of land which is also ours. We have occupied and planted on this land. We have not planted soy, because indigenous people have never eaten soy. We have planted manioc, beans, corn, potatoes, rice and bananas. Each family has planted on its own land. We made a lot of sacrifices to get the seeds and we have planted them. The corn has already grown, the manioc has already grown.”

 

In the document, the indigenous people expressed their concern when they found out about the court order. “The Federal Police are going to evict us. It will happen next week. Before they do this, it would be good if the press could film here and show just how beautiful our plantation is. They want us to return to our old 26-hectare area. They say that the police will come with tractors and destroy everything. We want to know who is going to feed our children. Are the farmers going to send us [food] baskets in trucks? Will our children be undernourished?”

 

Finally, the people promised to resist eviction, “we want to warn the police that we will not leave here. We really won’t. The farmers have already got rich at our expense. They have been here for 50 years. They have made a lot of money out of us. Now, we want our land back. We want to be able to work. Things cannot continue the way they are. We want to work, to work on our land.”

 

A TV station in Mato Grosso do Sul has reported that this morning (January 13) the police would clear out the area, which was occupied by the indigenous people three months ago. This was denied by the Communications Department of the Federal Police (FP) administration in Mato Grosso do Sul. According to the press officer, a team, consisting of a police chief and two officers, has been to the region to study the situation with the aim of preparing a plan to comply with the land rights order. “The team went to study how many indigenous people there are in the area, how many men and vehicles will be necessary and which forces will help to clear the area.” The press officer also said that the Federal Police often asked for help from the Fire Service and the Military Police and that it uses trucks to move indigenous people. The study should be concluded in 15 to 20 days.

 

TAPEBA PEOPLE, FROM CEARÁ, REOCCUPIED LAND AREAS IN 2004

 

For many years, the Brazilian State claimed that there were no indigenous people in the state of Ceará. During the 1980s, the process of reorganizing the indigenous peoples in this state made society aware of a resistance that had lasted for centuries.

 

According to the missionary Alexandre Fonseca, who works in the state, official figures indicate that there is a population of 15,000 indigenous people, but Cimi works with estimates of up to 30,000 indigenous people who live in settlements and also in urban centers such as Fortaleza. “In spite of there being a total of 14 peoples, Funai (the National Indigenous Foundation) recognizes only four of the peoples in Ceará,” says Fonseca.

 

In Ceará, as in all of Brazil, land has been acquired as the result of invasion and resistance. Four years ago, the Tapeba people reoccupied some land areas in the municipality of Caucaia, where the Lagoa I settlement is situated today. According to their leaders, in November 2004, a land grabber, who claimed to own the land, appeared together with the Military Police and tried to expel the indigenous people and sell the land, but was not successful. Reports from indigenous people tell of violence on the part of the Police. 

 

According to Alexandre Fonseca, this violence was reported by the Tapeba and by the Human Rights Defense Center in the Diocese of Fortaleza. According to an indigenous woman, Claudênia Silva dos Reis, the courts turned down a petition for a land rights order requested by the farmer. The land of the Tapeba people was identified in 2004, but this has still not been published in the Official Gazette.

 

Another Tapeba group, from the Trilho settlement, which is also located in the municipality of Caucaia, reoccupied some land areas on November 22. Elizabete Tapeba, an indigenous teacher, spoke about the organization of her people. “Our main objective, lately, has been the demarcation of our land,” she says. “We are not taking anything from anybody, we are after our rights, which were the rights of our forefathers and which we are now looking to get back,” she concluded.

 

EVERYTHING READY FOR THE PAN-AMAZON SOCIAL FORUM

 

Next week, people and social organizations from nine countries where the world’s largest forest, the Amazon Forest, is situated, will meet in Manaus with the aim of strengthening their alliances and solidarity for another possible world.

 

The 4th Pan-Amazon Social Forum (FSPA) takes place next week, between January 18 and 22, and will include issues linked to diversity, sovereignty and peace in its debates.

 

The FSPA, which is being held a week before the 5th World Social Forum takes place in Porto Alegre between January 26 and 31, can be seen as offering a foretaste of several subjects which will be discussed in the capital of Rio Grande do Sul.

 

The organizers of the Forum say that more than a hundred events have been arranged, including workshops, seminars, round tables, conferences, trade fairs, exhibitions and cultural activities. These will take place in the Santa Terezinha, Estadual, Brasileiro and Francisca Albuquerque schools, the University of Amazonas Arts Center and the Port of Manaus from 9:00a.m to 6:00p.m and afterwards cultural activities will be held. More than 8,000 participants from several continents are expected.

 

Brasília, 13 January 2005.

 

Cimi – Indianist Missionary Council