• After fire, threats persist against Guarani community in Mato Grosso do Sul


• MPF to question in court restriction to popular participation in the hearings about Belo Monte

 

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AFTER FIRE, THREATS PERSIST AGAINST GUARANI COMMUNITY IN MATO  GROSSO DO SUL

 

The approximately 130 indigenous of the community Laranjeira Ñanderu, who are camped at the side of highway BR-163, in Mato Grosso do Sul, continue to be threatened by employees of the title holders, large scale farmers, to the land, who maneuver cars at high speeds near the tents of the indigenous people. On September 14, the farmers who currently hold title to the forest area burned the remaining homes and belongings in the village from which the indigenous had been dispossessed.

 

According to José Almeida (Zezinho), a leader of the community, on September 9, the Federal Police granted 48 hours for them to vacate the village where they had lived for nearly two years. The indigenous transported the greater portion of their belongings, including beds and mattresses, on bicycles along the 4 km road between the village and BR 163. By the end of the day on Sept. 11, there still remained in the village several objects and the supply of satin grass thatching that the Guarani use to cover the home.  “We requested that the Federal Police speak with the farmer, because the families were going to get the thatching and the rest of the things. We were not able to return there after the Federal Police deadline because the farmer closed everything off. Two days later we saw the height of the fire …coming from the village”.

 

The Federal Public Ministry in Mato Grosso do Sul (MPF-MS) received reports from the indigenous community, from the National Foundation of Indigenous Affairs (Funai) and from Federal Highway Police (PRF- Policia Rodoviária Federal) regarding what had occurred. After analysis of these it was able to demand an inquiry to investigate the fire and the reports of threats. According to Zezinho, the Funai was not at the encampment after the fire. The PRF was notified and was on site on the night of the fire. In addition to this, the indigenous appealed to the PRF to protect them from any intimidations from the employees of the farmers, who were impeding the Guarani from seeking water in a river outside of the farm.

 

Process

The court order for reintegration of possession was granted by the Federal Court of Mato Grosso do Sul. The Funai and the MPF-MS appealed to Federal Regional Tribunal 3^rd Region, which has temporarily suspended the order for reintegration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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MPF TO QUESTION RESTRICTION TO POPULAR PARTICIPATION IN THE HEARINGS ABOUT BELO MONTE CONSTRUCTION IN COURT

 

The Federal Public Ministry (MPF- Ministerio Públic Federal) is due to introduce an action in the coming week calling for the nullification of the public hearings on the hydroelectric of Belo Monte, planned for construction on the Xingu river, Pará. In the four hearings, which occurred between September 10 and 15, the MPF-Pará and several groups that will be affected by construction of the hydroelectric are finding restrictions imposed on their participation.

 

Following the most recent hearing, conducted in Belém on September 15, the MPF-Pará announced that it will question, in Court, the restriction on popular participation in the debates about Belo Monte. In this same hearing, in protest, the MPF-Pará and several of the presenters, among them indigenous leaders, were removed from the hearing. On this day, several representatives of social movements and university professors were not permitted to enter the auditorium where the event occurred.

 

“We are fighting for other public hearings with another format that guarantees not only the participation of MPF, but also the effective participation of the population”, stated the Federal Prosecutor Rodrigo Timóteo. The Federal Public Ministry is also requesting a greater number of public hearings. This recommendation had already been made by the Brazilian Environmental Institute (Ibama), but was disregarded. In addition to the scarcity of the number of hearings, the Environmental Impact Study that would serve as basis for discussion was only made fully available two days before the first hearing.

 

Popular Protests

Several protests against the hydroelectric also marked the hearings. In the city of Altamira, in one of the regions that could be affected by the work, approximately 6 thousand people participated in the third hearing, where many protests occurred. On that occasion, representatives of the six indigenous peoples (Assurini, Juruna, Arara, Curuaya, Xikrin, and Parakanã), who live on the banks of the Xingu river, asked that the indigenous communities be heard regarding the project, as provided for in the Constitution, in the case of the hydroelectric uses that impact indigenous lands. Also in Altamira, the protests included a puppet figure of the president of Electrobrás, Antonio Muniz Lopes, which was burned in effigy by demonstrators in front of the gymnasium where the debates occurred.

 

In Belém, approximately 300 demonstrators, among them indigenous, environmentalists, unions and members of the social movements, acted in solidarity with the peoples of the Xingu and protested against the hardly participatory format of the public hearings. For the demonstrators, the hearing was occurring only to legitimate the decision of the government in constructing the hydroelectric. All forms of participation have been limited. Prosecutor Raimundo Moraes, of the State Public Ministry characterized it as a “narrow minded” hearing.

 

Imposition

The Belo Monte hydroelectric plant and dam would affect – directly or indirectly – 66 municipalities and 11 indigenous lands. In July, president Luis Inácio Lula da Silva guaranteed that he was not going to impose the construction of the Belo Monte hydroelectric to “ shove it down the throat” of the communities of the Xingu region. In meeting with representatives of residents of the area, the president stated that the dialogue regarding the project was open.

 

Brasília, 17 September of 2009

CIMI – Indigenous missionary Council