So Paulo, December 20, 1991
CCPY Update No. 50
PRESSURE IN CONGRESS AGAINST DEMARCATION OF THE YANOMAMI AREA
A strong campaign has been unleashed in Congress against the decision,
announced on 15 November, by President Collor, to demarcate the Yanomami
Area. Pressure comes in particular from Deputies and Senators
representing Brazil's northern states.
In less than a month the Minister of Justice, Jarbas Passarinho and the
President of the National Indian Foundation, Sydney Possuelo, have both
been summoned to Congress to 'explain' the government's justification for
demarcating 4,400,000 square hectares. At the same time various
Congressmen have taken legislative and judicial steps to try to stop the
demarcation going ahead. There is a possibility that these measures
could prevent demarcation from taking place. CCPY believes, though, that
it will be difficult to revert the Presidential decision.
Pressure in Congress could, however, block the release of funds required
to complete the removal of garimpeiros invading Yanomami territory, to
continue inspection and control of the area and to carry out work
necessary for its physical demarcation.
Certain Congressmen insist in the theories, already related in previous
updates, that granting territory to the Yanomami would:
- help them create an independent nation separate from Brazil,
- favour the 'internationalization' of the Amazon, and
- hold back the economic development of the state of Roraima.
While the military have ceded to President Collor's decision, they do not
hide their disagreement. In limited circles, high ranking military
officers have revealed their intention to boycott the demarcation of the
Yanomami area and prevent the President from pursuing a policy of
demarcating other Indian areas.
Of the 504 indigenous areas in Brazil, at present 78 are fully demarcated
and regularized (homologated), and 21 are awaiting physical demarcation,
following an official decision in favour of demarcation (delimited). The
Yanomami area is amongst the latter group.
Recently President Collor also announced the decision to demarcate
(administrative delimitation) of approximately 5 million hectares for the
Menkragnoti (a sub-group of the Kayap"). Joined with the Kayap" area
(3,200,000 hectares), the Capoto/Jarina area (634,000 hectares) and the
Xingu Park (3,600,000 hectares) - which houses 16 different ethnic
groups - this forms a total continuous area of 10 million hectares.
The official recognition of a continuous area for the Yanomami has
provoked virulent reactions from both the military and Congressmen. The
main target of pressure has been the Minister of Justice, Jarbas
Passarinho - a politician traditionally aligned with the military and
conservative sectors of society, but who, faced with an undeniable case,
is at present in favour of the demarcation of the Yanomami area and that
of other indigenous groups.
Last week the Minister sent a fax thanking CCPY for a message of support
that we had sent him following the announcement of the decision to
demarcate Yanomami lands.
'Your words compensate for the attacks I have been receiving, on the one
side, from those who believe that the lives of Indians are less important
than gold mining 'a la diable' (at any cost), and on the other side, from
those who do not have the wit to realise the role that I played in the
President's decision.'
CCPY believes that it would be opportune for organizations concerned with
the defence of Indian interests to send, as they see fit, letters of
support to President Collor and the Minister of Justice, encouraging them
to continue with the regularization of Yanomami territory and those of
other indigenous groups in Brazil
STOP PRESS
ON 16 DECEMBER 1991 THE YANOMAMI WON A FURTHER IMPORTANT VICTORY IN
CONGRESS. CR$ 2.800.000,00 (APPROX. $2,800,000) WERE APPROVED FOR THE
PHYSICAL DEMARCATION OF THE TERRITORY. WORK IS EXPECTED TO START NEXT
YEAR.
Comissao pela Criacao do Parque Yanomami - CCPY
Rua Manoel da Nobrega 111 cj.32
04001 Sao Paulo SP Brasil
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update 53 CEDI
So Paulo, 29 January 1992
"We are retransmitting CCPY's most recent report on the situation of the
Yanomami"
So Paulo, January 21, 1992
CCPY Update No. 51
EVERYTHING SET FOR DEMARCATION OF THE YANOMAMI AREA
- The National Indian Foundation (Funai) has set 27 January as the
starting date for demarcating the 94 000 km2 territory of the Yanomami
Indians in Brazil. The demarcation consists in opening a six meter wide
track along 700 km and placing concrete markers every two kilometers.
The 700 km forms the part of the perimeter of the territory which does
not have natural boundaries or is not part of the Brazilian border with
Venezuela, which has already been demarcated.
- The construction firm Asserplan Construction and Consultancy Ltd.,
based in the state of Acre, has already been contracted to carry out the
work. It should employ eleven field teams working simultaneously, have
the use of two helicopters, and complete demarcation in 110 days. Work
will start from a logistical base in the Santa Isabel region of the River
Negro in Amazonas State - one of the areas in which it is most difficult
to operate.
- The demarcation has only been possible after more then ten years of
work by all those who, together with CCPY, fought for the rights of the
Yanomami.
- The joining of forces throughout the world forged the political
situation which lead the Collor government to sign the demarcation decree
in November 1991. After the President's decision, the government needed
Congressional approval for the release of around 3 million US dollars,
which had not been included in the federal budget for 1992. In December
Congress approved the release of these funds.
- In CCPY's opinion, the Minister of Justice, Jarbas Passarinho, gave
excellent continuity to President Collor's decision in favour of
demarcation. The Minister gave his own public support to demarcation and
was responsible for the political negotiations involved. In previous
years, in contrast, Passarinho had invariably seemed reluctant to defend
the demarcation of the Yanomami area.
- There is widespread discontent with the demarcation among Congressmen
from Brazil's northern states and particularly in the Armed Forces. The
military have stated, however, that demarcation will be complied with,
because it is a Presidential order.
- At the moment pressure from the military has decreased. President
Collor replaced the former Head of Military Command for Amazonia with
General Carlos Annibal Pacheco, who says he agrees to work jointly with
ecologists and organizations working in Indian affairs. Previously
General Pacheco was Head of the Engineering and Communications Department
of the Army, in Brasilia.
- An assessment inside the federal government is that the President has
achieved a stable political situation capable of avoiding problems in
areas relating to Indians and environmental matters until the United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development to be held in June -
Rio 92.
CCPY TO EXTEND ITS ACTION IN HEALTH CARE
- As the political situation in relation to the Yanomami Indians is
stabilizing, CCPY is preparing to increase its action in protecting the
health of the Indians. There remain serious health consequences of
contact with garimpeiros who invaded Yanomami territory.
- At least 300 deaths occurred in 1991, according to the National Health
Foundation (FUNASA), the Health Ministry's regional which works in the
Yanomami area. This figure includes known deaths and estimated deaths.
- Among known deaths Funasa counted 142 identified mortalities and 50
unidentified mortalities.
- These figures are only partial, they do not reflect the total reality
of the Yanomami health situation, which is certainly worse than the
figures indicate.
- Information is partial as the work of Funasa and other organizations
does not cover the whole of the Yanomami territory. Apart from CCPY,
health work is being carried out in the area by some religious
missionaries: Consolata Fathers, Salesians, Unevangelized Field Missions
of the Amazon (MEVA) and New Tribes of Brazil (NTB). In addition the
international medical associations Medecins du Monde and Medicins sans
Frontiers are presently working in the area.
- CCPY's work covers an area of about 10,000 km2 in the state of
Amazonas. The last medical visit to the area reported 30% confirmed
cases among those Indians examined for suspected malaria in villages in
the regions of the River Toototobi and Upper River Demini. This is a
high percentage, particularly bearing in mind that garimpeiros have
already been removed from the area.
- Other health teams sent by CCPY at the end of 1991 concluded that
current health provision in the regions of the Toototobi and Demini
Rivers is insufficient and should be increased. The health teams
invariably cannot reach all the villages that are due to be visited
because of the need to attend the many urgent cases in the villages
nearest the landing strips.
- The way to extend health provision would be to install a permanent
health post in the region of the upper Demini river, where around 800
Yanomami live. In order to achieve this CCPY is putting together an
action plan which will require significant financial investment and
preparation of personnel.
BRAZILIAN GARIMPEIROS INVADE YANOMAMI AREA IN VENEZUELA
- On 21 January the Venezuelan Ambassador to Brazil, Sebastian Alegrett
announced that the Venezuelan military have detained 350 Brazilian
garimpeiros who were illegally inside Venezuela mining in the Venezuelan
Yanomami area.
- The announcement was made in the middle of a diplomatic incident
between the two countries. On 16 January a Brazilian mono-motor plane
crashed in Venezuela. According to Brazilian garimpeiro leaders in
Roraima the plane was shot down by machine gun fire by Venezuelan
military when it crossed over into Venezuelan airspace. The pilot Jose
Xavier de Mendona died and two other garimpeiros were injured.
- According to the Venezuelan government the plane crashed because it ran
out of fuel. This version is supported by the two surviving garimpeiros
interned in hospital in the Venezuelan town of Puerto Ayacucho, who were
interviewed by a staff member of the Brazilian Foreign Ministry. The
Brazilian Federal Police believe however that the plane was actually hit
by machine gun fire and that the garimpeiros are being forced to support
Venezuelan Government's version.
- In the light of conflicting information President Collor has ordered
relevant bodies to investigate the matter thoroughly.
- The plane crash and the news of 350 detentions could be only the
beginning of another big problem with the garimpeiros. Funai estimates
that at least 2,000 garimpeiros have crossed from Brazil to mine in
Venezuela. This occurred after Federal Police removed garimpeiros from
the Brazilian Yanomami area last year.
- CCPY believes that these events show that the preservation of the
Yanomami territory still remains at serious risk. Funai is seeking
necessary resources from The International Agricultural Development Fund
of the United Nations to reinforce and extend its infrastructure for the
inspection, control and protection of the Yanomami area.
Commission for the Creation of a Yanomami Park (CCPY)
Rua Manoel da Nobrega 111 cj.32, 04001 Sao Paulo SP Brazil
Fax: (011) 284-6997
Tel: (011) 289-1200