The Federal Public Ministry (MPF – Ministério Publico Federal) in Dourados initiated an inquiry to investigate the attacks against two Guarani Kaiowá communities that occurred in the last two weeks in Mato Grosso do Sul. On September 18, a group of ten men attacked the community of Apyka’y, living in an encampment on the side highway BR-483. On that occasion a 62 year old indigenous woman, was shot and several tents burned. This aggression occurred four days after the fire that burned the homes and belongings of the Laranjeira Ñanderu community, camped at the side of BR-163.

 

The MPF is going to investigate the circumstances of the two attacks. According to MPF information, in the case of aggression against the Apyka’y community it will investigate the possible practice of the crime of genocide, as established in Law no. 2889/56: “Whoever, with the intention to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group (…), to kill members of the group; to cause grave injury to physical or mental integrity of the members of the group”.

 

According to indigenous reports, the attack occurred during the early hours of the morning, while they slept. The aggressors fired shots against the tents and beat and kicked the women who attempted to flee with their children.

 

The Apyka’y community, at present with 15 families, has been camped for at least six years on the edge of BR 463, while awaiting demarcation of their traditional land.

 

According to the MPF-MS report, the situation of the community is “analogous to that of a refugee camp. It is as if they have been strangers in their own country. It is as if the ‘whites’ have been at war with the indigenous people and the latter are left to only a narrow strip of land that separates the fence of a farm and the edge of a highway.”

 

No answer on demarcation

The community of Laranjeira Ñanderu, attacked on September 14, remains camped at the side of BR 163, near the municipality of Rio Brilhante. According to Farid, leader of the group of 35 families, during the night, fires are artificially set on the farm. Cinders from the fires reach the tents of the community, burning the pieces of fabric that protect them.

 

The group has received donations of food from neighboring cities and none of the people are sick, however, they remain anxious about security because the traffic on the highway is intense. In addition to this, they do not have any word on when the identification studies for their lands will be resumed. “The Funai (National Foundation of Indigenous Affairs) has not given a response on this. Nothing has been said about demarcation. We do not know how long we will have to live like this”, questions Farid.

 

 The MPF emphasizes that behind all of the violations of human rights of the indigenous peoples is the land conflict. At present there is no legal impediment for the resumption of work by the technical groups for identification studies of the Guarani lands, however, without the protection of the Federal Police, the members of the groups have no security to act on the lands in the region.

 

Brasilia, 24 September of 2009

Indigenous Missionary Counsel