(article by: Ricardo Verdum, anthropologist, adviser to Inesc)

On Tuesday morning, May 9, in an interview on CBN Radio, Davi Yanomami was asked whether he had ever spoken in the Brazilian Parliament. Davi replied that he would like to look in the eyes of parliamentarians, to know their thoughts, but, unfortunately, has never had the opportunity. Never having been invited to speak in Congress as representative of the indigenous Yanomami people, “in the parliament of Brazil, they are not interested in calling on indigenous people who struggle.

         
On Tuesday morning, May 9, in an interview on CBN Radio, Davi Yanomami was asked whether he had ever spoken in the Brazilian Parliament. Davi replied that he would like to look in the eyes of parliamentarians, to know their thoughts, but, unfortunately, has never had the opportunity. He has never been invited to speak in Congress as representative of the indigenous Yanomami people, “in the parliament of Brazil, they are not interested in calling on indigenous people who struggle.”

Unlike the countries of Venezuela and Colombia, where direct representation of indigenous peoples is constitutionally guaranteed in state and national parliaments, in Brazil, speaking about political participation of indigenous people is something that causes chills for conservatives on both the left and right.

In opinion research conducted by Inesc, in partnership with the Department of the Inter Parliamentary Advisor (DIAP), where they sought to identify trends in political reform in Brazil among the 150 federal parliamentarians, it shows how conservative the positions are in the current legislature.
Asked about how participation of indigenous peoples in proportional election should be exercised in Brazil, 85.2% of the senators interviewed (30) said it should be as it is currently, with the Indigenous peoples competing with other candidates and 3, 3% said that indigenous peoples should not have their own representation in the Brazilian legislature. Asked whether indigenous peoples should have their own electoral system, being guaranteed a specific quota in the House and the Senate, 11.1% were said to be in favor.

The same questions were asked in the House of Representatives. There, from a sample of 120 Representatives, 77.6% of respondents said that the Indigenous peoples should compete with other candidates and 0.9% that indigenous peoples should not have their own representation in the Brazilian legislature. Asked whether indigenous peoples should have their own electoral system, being guaranteed a specific quota in the House and the Senate, 19% said yes.

Davi Yanomami spoke Wednesday (May 10) in the English Parliament, addressing the situation of indigenous peoples in Brazil and in particular the situation of his people. Yanomami territory in Brazil is again being invaded by miners, farmers and loggers and is coveted by groups, even in the Brazilian Congress, for mining permits within the indigenous lands. Davi addressed the neglect with which the Yanomami are being treated by the Brazilian state and the health consequences for the Yanomami. The discourse also covered failure to assure self-determination of his people, guaranteed by the Brazilian Constitution and international law.

 

Listen to the inerview (Portuguese) with Davi Yanomami

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