On November 2, the electronic media revealed one more of the brutalities committed by gunmen against a Guarani community that retook its tekohá. On October 29, one day after the return to their land currently occupied by the Triunfo estate, in the municipality of Paranhos, the group of indigenous people was surprised by a truck of gunmen who arrived firing at them. According to the report by cacique Itineu Verá, “all who were there were attacked with guns, rubber bullets and punches.” Two professors, Olino and Genivaldo, are still missing today. “It was the gunmen. They killed them”, stated the cacique, to the Journal Mida Max (2/11/09). They have been missing for four days now.

 

According to dona Ana: “the nhandesi Paulina had a broken rib and Olindo and Genivaldo, who remain missing, had been badly beaten about the head. Already nearly four days have passed. If they were alive they would have been found already”. The Federal Police are to arrive today, Nov. 3. As of yesterday, only the Funai had visited the local.

 

With carbines polished

“The agricultural producers were on the alert”, confirmed the president of the non-governmental organization Recovê, Roseli Maria Ruiz. The organization had become aware, four days beforehand, by the occupations of the Terena undertaken in Sidrolândia and Miranda…. With the rumor that other areas were to be invaded, the rural producers took their time to prepare the estates over the weekend. The mobilization had the objective of preventing any occupation, because removal of indigenous is much more difficult. On the day prior to the retaking, the NGO identified the area to be occupied would be Fazenda Petrópolis, of which the titles belong to Pedro Pedrossian, the ex-governor of Mato Grosso do Sul. He was advised.”(Campo Grande News, 30/10/2009)

 

In the article’s closing comments, the true thinking is revealed of the dominating class that does not want to recognize indigenous rights to their traditional lands. Quote: “In this country where honest work is not recognized, land needs to be given even to the indians, because they do nothing, at minimum, they plant some manioc roots and hope that the government gives them, after the land, basic food baskets and sugar cane liquor. They live soaked in the preferred drink of our president. We only want to know who is behind all this, instigating this mass manipulation. The indian does not do anything for land. We remain at the ready, with carbines polished’ (Milton Silva – Campo Grande News – 30/10/09

 

Commitment by the Aty Guasu

In the recently conducted Aty Guasu in the village of Yvy Katu, the Guarani from nearly all of the thirty villages and 20 encampments in the region Of Mato Grosso do Sul, expressed their indignation with the inoperability and lack of fulfillment promises and deadlines on the part of FUNAI. They said that patience is exhausted, it being left to them to act in the sense of guaranteeing their tekohá. From then until now, 15 days have passed and none of the working groups have returned to work. On that occasion they informed the Department of Land Affairs of Funai, the Federal Public Ministry and anthropologists of the working groups of the joint decision of the Nhanderu/caciques and all of the leaders that they were going to act to assure their rights.

 

Egon Heck

Cimi MS