To whom it may concern,
It is with deep sorrow that I see a letter titled "Public Opinion Awareness"
being circulated all over the world. Even though this letter has signatures of
many Indians, the real responsibility behind it belongs to CIMI North (The
Brazilian Indigenous Missionary Council).
This letter brings serious denunciations against Ailton Krenak (the national
coordinator of the Brazilian Union of Indian Nations and President of the
Brazilian Forest Peoples Alliance). They accuse Ailton of being a false
representative of the Indian People, and that he is raising money using the
"Indian cause" for his personal vanity.
I have heard this "music" before in relation to other people. There have been
serious consequences, and even losses of human lives. Chico Mendes had many
times received similar accusations. In 1982, when Chico Mendes was running for
state deputy for the PT (Workers Party), the Catholic Church's affiliates used
to meet late into the night to conspire against his candidacy. They accused
Chico of being a threat to the Brazilian workers' future. By 1985, during his
candidacy for the mayor of Xapuri, I heard the "music" again, and again in
1986. So, for us this is not a surprise because everything that is happening
to Ailton Krenak has already happened before.
Nevertheless, these accusations are more dangerous this time. They made
Indians sign documents against other Indians. Relatives against each other. I
wonder if the little that remains of the approximate1000 tribes that existed
500 years ago will ever be able to leave in peace.
It is impossible to live in a world where malevolence is used to ensure the
well being of a few while the majority agonizes and revolts against each other.
This is what perpetrates the abundant life of the enemy at the cost of
privileges stolen from the poor people.
The accusations against Ailton Krenak have one price. This price is not just
a matter of asking accountability from the person being accused. Through this
infamous lie, it is intended to do the same that was done against Lula (the
great hope of Brazilian workers who ran for President in 1989-90) by the
powerful elites when they used Mirian Cordeiro. At the time, the accusations
were not against Lula, but were made in a way that the workers could not
achieve the right to freedom, just salaries, real agrarian reform, and the path
to an end to the generalized misery that kills millions around the world.
Every leader put into this circumstances is murdered because the large land
owners watch this kind of person very carefully. They take advantage of these
situations to increase the pressure generated by this sort of accusations.
With Chico Mendes it was no different. They raised all possible kinds of
accusations, and when they realized it was not working they killed him. By the
style of this letter against Ailton Krenak it cannot be any different. It
cannot be different because the work that Ailton has developed so far is no
different then that of Chico Mendes during the 80s. We just have to look at
the Indian Research Center in Gois and the home of the Embassy of Forest
People. The relationship of these institutions with the international movement
is something else that Ailton has worked very hard to guarantee, so that it is
done in the best possible way. For instance, controlling the increasing
commercial demand on forest products has been one of Ailton's mutual struggles
with the Brazilian Alliance of Forest People.
Accountability on the side of the Alliance is much easier than that which the
institutions which control the Indians need to present to the Alliance.
I would like to end with the following warning: if things continue in this
way, it is possible that Brazil will once again see tragic headlines. If this
really happens, CIMI will bear the major responsibility. I must emphasize my
position against these accusations, so that later those contributing to the
workers' disgrace do not cry crocodile's tears.
Sincerely,
Julio Barbosa de Aquino
National Rubber Tappers Council
CNS