Last week, Brasilia witnessed the most representative Indian meeting
ever held in all of Brazil's history: 350 Indians representing 55
organizations and 101 Indian peoples discussed, from the 26th until the 30th
of April, the new Charter of the Indians which is being analysed at the
National Congress. Other issues, such as who represents the Indian peoples,
were also discussed, and the Council for the Articulation of Indian Peoples
and Organizations of Brazil was set up.
As they covered the meeting, some newspapers published statements
according to which the gathering had been manipulated by the Indianist
Missionary Council (CIMI), an organization linked to the National Conference
of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB). They also affirmed that CIMI intends to replace
the tutelage of the State with that of the Church and that it wants to do
away with Funai, the official Indianist agency, as well with the protection
provided by the government to the Indians. Statements such as these are false
and must be clarified.
Those who say that CIMI manipulated the Indians are not aware of the
capability and history of the Brazilian Indian organizations. In the last
ten years, dozens of these organizations were set up, both local and regional,
all over Brazil. They resulted from the reality and the need of each people
to fight for the demarcation of their lands, for better health and education
conditions, etc. Because they lacked a broader reference in terms of a
national organization, these local and regional organizations gradually
developed such close relations among them that they even expressed themselves
jointly during the works of the National Constituent Assembly, in 1987 and
1988, and in defence of the Yanomami people, in 1989.
The discussions being held on the new Charter of the Indian Peoples
further enhanced the links between all of these organizations. In June of
1991, they established the Indian Mobilization Board, made up of 12
organizations from all over Brazil, with the aim of following up the
deliberations on the new Indianist law at the National Congress. This Board
envisaged, planned and made feasible the meeting that was held in Brasilia
last week.
Regarding the creation of the Council for the Articulation of Indian
Peoples and Organizations of Brazil a week ago, this initiative represents a
formalization and a clearer design of the autonomous space for articulation
which these organizations have been building in recent years. Among the tasks
to be carried out by this Council in coming months, the strengthening of
existing local and regional organizations stands out, as well as the
promotions of closer links among them.
The role played by CIMI in this process was one of supporting decisions
made by the organizations themselves and encouraging them. One point that
must be fully clarified is that, regarding both the Indian proposals in
relation to the new Charter of the Indians and the setting up of the Council,
all the decisions involved were sovereignly made at the meeting attended by
55 Indian organizations from all over the Country. Allegations that CIMI
manipulated this process imply a serious mistrust of the capacity of the
Indians to take care of themselves and of issues related to them.
TUTELAGE
--------
Allegations that an attempt is being made to replace the tutelage of the
State by that of the Church in relation to the Indians typically come from
sectors wich are always ready to disqualify the autonomous decisions made by
Indian organizations by raising suspicions that religious, subversives, or
nongovernment organizations - or the veiled interests of multinational
companies or First World governments - are manipulating them.
CIMI considers that the Indian peoples are fully capable of enjoying
their rights and that, for this reason, they should not be prevented in any
way from getting involved, for example, in business transactions. But it
considers that all acts that may cause harm to Indian goods should be done
away with, since the Federal Constitution provides for the protection of
these goods.
However, CIMI has never mixed up the end of the tutelage with the end
of the protection provided to Indian peoples or even of FUNAI. Differently
from tutelage, wich is not consistent with constitutional provisions,
protection is a requirement provided for in the same Constitution. As a
matter of fact, the proposal CIMI submitted to the Chamber of Deputies states
that Indian communities are to be provided with full health assistance in a
differentiated way and specific education, in addition to benefitting from
other actions which may contribute to their survival. This is what assistance
is all about, and it is to be taken care of by the Government.
Brasilia, May 8th, 1992
CIMI - Indianist Missionary Council
[ Thinking that readers might like to know more about CIMI, I include the
following information, obtained from online records at IGC:
| ax:cimi ALTERNEX
| Gilberto Francisco Dalmolim, SDS Ed.Venancio III Sala 309/14
| Brasilia DF 70393
| (061) 225.9457
| IBASE, CIMI (Conselho Indigena Missionario de Brasilia)
| Keys: indio, terra, politica indigenista
Internet/Bitnet users can get in touch with CIMI using the address
"cimi@ax.apc.org" --Gary ]