Between February 25 and 28, a delegation made up of 12 indigenous representatives from five villages of the Kaingang and Guarani peoples located in the state of Santa Catarina came to Brasília to claim the official recognition of the bounds of their lands and to demand improvements in other areas, such as education, housing and food security.

 

One of the main goals of the trip was to protest against the Legislative Decree Bills (PDCs) proposed by federal representative Valdir Collato (Party of the Brazilian Democratic Movement/State of Santa Catarina) with the aim of suspending the effects of four administrative rulings recognizing the bounds of indigenous lands in the state of Santa Catarina. On February 26, the indigenous leaders were received by federal representatives Luiz Couto (Workers’ Party/State of Paraíba) and Pedro Wilson (Workers’ Party/State of Goiás). Wilson is the person in charge of the opinions issued by the Human Rights Committee on Collato’s PDCs. At the meeting, he said that the opinions are against the PDCs. The Bills refer to the Toldo Pinhal, Toldo Imbu, Xapecó, and Guarani do Araça´í indigenous lands, which were declared indigenous areas in April 2007.

 

On February 27, the indigenous leaders filed a document at the Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ) challenging the constitutionality of the PDCs. The indigenous people also delivered the document to the leaders of all parties and to the chair of the Chamber of Representatives.

 

Today (February 28) in the morning, the Kaingang and Guarani leaders met with the acting president of the National Foundation for Indigenous People (Funai), Aloysio Guapindaia, and with other advisors of the agency. The indigenous leaders questioned Funai’s delay to indemnify squatters who live in the areas which were declared indigenous lands. Funai pledged to solve this issue in the region. “Since last year, the state of Santa Catarina is a priority to us,” stressed the Director for Land Affairs, Auxiliadora Leão.

 

The work of removing the squatters will be carried out in the Toldo Imbu and Xapecó lands, because for the two other indigenous lands there are still preliminary orders issued by a federal court suspending the effects of the Declaratory Administrative Ruling. Funai also promised to intensify its legal actions in connection with these cases.

 

The indigenous people also requested Funai to build homes inside their lands and to increase the amount of food products being sent to the region. Funai pledged to take measures to partially meet the requests.

 

“When we finally occupy our land, we will be able to plant there. We will no longer depend on Funai,” said chief Albari Saint, from the Toldo Imbu land. Thirty Kaingang families live there in a 9-hectare area, and they depend on food products distributed by Funai and on some temporary jobs they get in the region. “Nobody employs an indigenous person there. There is too much prejudice,” Alabri added.

 

Representatives from the Toldo Chimbangue, Alto Pinhal and Condá indigenous lands also attended the meetings and claimed actions to have the bounds of their lands recognized.

 

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Yanomami people protest in Congress against the behavior of some representatives during their visits to indigenous villages in the state of Roraima

 

On February 26, a delegation made up of Yanomami people went to the Chamber of Representatives to protest against the behavior of members of the Special Committee on Mining Activities inside Indigenous Lands during their visits to indigenous villages in the state of Roraima on February 14. They delivered a report to the members of the Committee reinforcing how they are against mining activities inside their lands. They were also received by the Special Committee on Human Rights (CDHM).

According to a report prepared by members of the Haturaka Yanomami Association (HAY) who followed the visits, the representatives tried to persuade the Yanomami people to accept mining activities inside their lands as something that would benefit them. Representative Márcio Junqueira (Democratic Party/state of Roraima) even tried to offer gifts to the indigenous people. The representatives also said that having mining activities inside their lands would improve their health care.

The CDHM representatives Luiz Couto (Workers’ Party/State of Paraíba) and Pedro Wilson (Workers’ Party/State of Goiás) took on the commitment to meet with the rapporteur of the Special Committee, Eduardo Valverde (Workers’ Party/state of Rondônia), to discuss what actually happened during the visits and the mining issue. “It is a duty of the State to provide health care and education services to all indigenous peoples, whether they allow mining activities to be carried out in their lands or not,” Wilson stressed.

During the meeting at the CDHM, indigenous leader Davi Kopinawa said once again that his people do not authorize mining activities inside their lands: “Mining activities bring many problems. It makes holes in the land and pollutes our rivers. My people start to die. The Yanomami will only become sick,” Davi said.

 

On February 26 in the afternoon they attended a meeting of the Special Committee. They were not allowed to express their opinion, but they officially delivered their protest to the Committee. The Special Committee is in charge of analyzing Bill n. 1610/96, which addresses the utilization of mineral resources inside indigenous lands. The indigenous movement believes that this bill should not be discussed or passed without taking into account the debates on the Statute of Indigenous Peoples, which Congress has been analyzing for 14 years without any final decision.

 

The indigenous delegation, made up of Davi and seven other Yanomami representatives, went to Brasília to discuss, in addition to the mining issue, health problems which are affecting their people and the invasions that have been taking place in their lands. 

 

 

Brasília, February 28, 2008.

Cimi – Indianist Missionary Council

www.cimi.org.br