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URGENT ACTION 3/3/92
BRAZIL - AMAZONIA
The following was translated from Portuguese at the request of the
Permanent Forum of Debate on Amazonia, the Indigenist Missionary
Council (CIMI) in Manaus and The Coordination for Indigenous
Organizations in the Brazilian Amazon, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.
By way of background, recent demarcation of two large indigenous
areas by Brazilian President Collor set off a storm of protest and
acts of resistance by Amazonian governors, legislators and members
of the military. The Governor of Amazonas State, Gilberto
Mestrinho, threatened to call out 5,500 military police to prevent
the demarcation of the Yanomami reserve. If FUNAI (Brazil's
Indian Agency) demarcates the land of the Tikuna people and the
land of the 15 indigenous groups who live along the Javari River,
on the border of Brazil and Peru, Governor Mestrinho said that he
will send his police to fire at the FUNAI officers with machine
guns. Besides this, Mestrinho said that if these areas are
demarcated, the Indians who leave these areas will have to have
permission or a passport, otherwise they will be arrested.
Representative Atila Lins (Amazonas) introduced a bill that
would limit the size of indigenous areas to a maximum of 200
hectares (494 acres) per Indian. Other federal legislators are
attempting to block appropriations for the actual demarcation of
the newly decreed reserves.
PROTEST THE VIOLENCE AND THREATS AGAINST THE INDIGENOUS
PEOPLES OF AMAZONIA
The recent acts of violence against the indigenous peoples of
Amazonia, in disregard of and contempt for the Constitution and
for the right to life, are part of a premeditated policy of
extermination. The threatened use of 5,500 members of the
military police force of Amazonas to obstruct the demarcation of
indigenous lands in the state, in violation of article 231 of the
federal Constitution, is an irresponsible and criminal position on
the part of Governor Gilberto Mestrinho. The function of the
police is to guarantee the security and the rights of the
citizens, not to serve special economic and political interest
groups, nor to foster hate and animosity against indigenous
peoples. Governor Mestrinho, along with the other governors in
Amazonia, will be held responsible for any acts of violence and
aggression that may be brought against the indigenous peoples. It
is ridiculous to assert that the demarcation of the lands of the
Tikuna, Mura, Marubo, Yanomami and others will destroy the
economies of these states, when nothing is said about the millions
of hectares in the hands of a few large landowners like MANASA,
APLUB and others. Moreover, such assertions reveal positions that
are bigoted and racist. We consider as scandalous the attitudes
of some legislators, such as Euler Ribeiro, Atila Lins, Aureo
Mello and others, who use the legislative rostrum to slander and
attack the fundamental and constitutional rights of indigenous
peoples. The position of segments of the military to deny the
rights of indigenous people to their lands is incomprehensible,
when these are guaranteed by the Constitution, which they are
bound to respect and defend. Such factors foster violence and
social unrest, as illustrated by the recent ransacking and
attempted homicide in the office of COIAB - the Coordination of
the Indigenous Organizations of Brazilian Amazonia. It is
scandalous that the plunder of the wealth of Amazonia, in
particular within indigenous areas, is promoted by the governors
and practiced by the mining and timber companies in the name of
development, when it only serves to enrich a handful of groups.
After 500 years of the invasion of America, the violence,
domination and extermination of the native peoples of this
continent is being intensified. In spite of this, the indigenous
peoples of Amazonia are not only resisting but are strengthening
their organizations and are offering development alternatives for
the region.
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Letters of protest are requested to the following officials:
1) State Governor (salutation: Vossa Excelencia/ Your Excellency)
Exmo. Sr. Governador do Estado do Amazonas Sr. Gilberto Mestrinho
Palacio Rio Negro Avenida 7 de Setembro 69.000 - Manaus - Amazonas
Brasil
2) President (salutation: Vossa Excelencia/ Your Excellency) Sr.
Fernando Collor de Mello Presidente da Republica Palacio do
Planalto 70.150 - Brasilia - D.F. Brasil fax: 011-55-61-226-7566
or 011-55-61-211-1221 telex: 061-1088
3) Minister of Justice (salutation: Vossa Excelencia/ Your
Excellency): Exmo. Sr. Jarbas Passarinho Ministro da Justica
Ministerio da Justica Esplanada dos Ministerios Bloco 23 70.064
Brasilia DF, Brasil Telegrams: Ministro Justica, Brasilia, Brasil
Telexes: 391 61103 MNJU BR, 391 611088 MNJU BR or 391 612313 MNJU
BR Faxes: 011-55-61-321-5145; 011-55-61-224-4357
4) Please send copies to: Ambassador Rubens Recupero Brazilian
Embassy 3006 Massachusetts Ave NW Washington DC 20008
5. Please send letter in solidarity with COIAB (Coordination of
Indigenous Organizations in the Brazilian Amazon) Rua Leopoldo
Peres, 373 - Educandos 69.000 Manaus - AM -
Brazil Coordinator: Manuel Moura