So Paulo, June 23, 1992
We are retransmitting CCPY's most recent report on the situation of
the Yanomami.
"So Paulo, 1 June 1992
CCPY Update 57
DEMARCATION RATIFIED: GUARANTEE FOR THE LIFE OF THE YANOMAMI
On 25 May President Fernando Collor de Mello ratified the demarcation of the
Yanomami area. This measure gives the Yanomami full legal tenure of the 9,6
million hectares (96,000 km2) inhabited by them since time immemorial.
The conclusion of work physically demarcating the indigenous Yanomami area
in May was until then the most important step taken by the Brazilian
government to secure the constitutional right of the Indians to their land
and lives. These combined measures (demarcation and ratification) reflect
the political courage of President Fernando Collor de Mello and the
determination of the President of the National Indian Foundation, Sidney
Possuelo.
CCPY congratulates President Collor for signing the decree ratifying
demarcation, which gives the Yanomami legal recognition of their territory.
Juridically, it is possible to revise or alter the demarcation of Indian
land areas, even once ratified. However, it would be very difficult for
this to occur, as this could only be done through another Presidential act
reversing the situation.
For the Yanomami, ratification means greater protection of their territory.
Once free of invadors the Yanomami can recover their health and return to
traditional activities, which are essential to maintaining their traditional
forms of social, religious and political organization. Free movement between
villages is also essential for the maintenance of their way of life.
The recognition of the full continuous 96,000 km2 secures not only the
social organization of the Indians, but also the environmental equilibrium
of the entire area. Every four years, the Yanomami tend to move to a new
area and build a new maloca (communal house). In this way they open new
gardens so as not to exhaust the land, and exploit new areas for hunting and
new rivers for fishing.
After 13 years' work in defence of the rights of the Yanomami in Brazil, the
Commission for the Creation of a Yanomami Park (CCPY) is happy to see the
completion of the demarcation of a continuous area for the Yanomami, which
CCPY proposed over the years. In 1984 CCPY took part, at FUNAI's
invitation, in the elaboration of a study which defined by anthropological
criteria the extent of the territory which has now been demarcated.
It is necessary to warn, however, that the legal steps demarcating and
ratifying the area do not guarantee the physical integrity of the land. At
this very moment Yanomami territory is being reinvaded by small groups of
garimpeiros. Airplanes make regular drops of fuel and supplies to these men
inside Yanomami territory.
Surveys conducted by doctors and anthropologists indicate that more than
1,500 Yanomami have died in the last five years (15% of the population).
Even with the withdrawal of almost all of the garimpeiros, malaria and other
diseases brought by garimpeiros continue to affect the Yanomami. The
Ministry of Health recorded 6,788 cases of malaria in 1991 out of a total
population of 9,600 Indians (1992 census).
Lack of resources or political and administrative considerations mean that
the health work of FUNAI and the National Health Foundation in the area is
practically at a standstill.
The importance of the Yanomami as one of the last great indigenous peoples
of the Americas in the first stage of contact with non-indigenous society,
the aggression suffered by this people and the lack of official assistance
brought about a situation of genocide, decried internationally over the last
few years.
Scores of non-governmental organizations began to work in conjunction with
CCPY. Various governments also became sensitive to the uncontrolled
epidemics and deaths of the Yanomami. Great Britain, Norway, Holland,
Germany, Switzerland, Finland and Canada are countries which have made
financial contributions to support health action taken by CCPY to try to
lessen the catastrophic effects of the garimpeiro invasion and some of them
continue to do so.
Important political support was also given by personalities and leading
politicians inside and outside Brazil, not least in the United Nations.
Ex-Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar, wrote to President Collor on
11 February 1991 offering the 'humanitarian assistance' of the United
Nations, due to his concern for the plight of the Yanomami.
Now that the area has been ratified, CCPY hopes that the federal government
will make every effort to guarantee the permanent protection of the Yanomami
territory against new invasions.
If the Yanomami situation is resolved in this way it will serve as an
example to the world, which has decimated its indigenous people and is often
unable to recognize or maintain respect for their most basic rights.
DAVI HANDS A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT
During the official ratification ceremony of the demarcation of the Yanomami
territory, at the Planalto Palace (the seat of the Brazilian Government in
Brasilia) indigenous leader Davi Yanomami handed a letter to President
Fernando Collor, signed by himself and Levi and Geraldo Yanomami in the name
of their people. Davi Yanomami received as a present from President Collor
the pen used to sign the decree ratifying the Yanomami territory. Bellow
follows the full text of Davi's letter.
25 May 1992
Dear Mr. President,
We would like to express our great satisfaction for the demarcation of our
land. You have not deceived us. You are a man of courage for you did what
you have promised to our people. Now we are in peace: we want to keep only
the Yanomami within our land.
Also we would like to have your support for a health project for our people
because diseases such as "malaria" left by the gold-diggers continue killing
our people. We desperately need doctors and medicines.
You are the highest authority in this country and I beg you to keep the
invaders, the gold-diggers, far from our land by setting up permanent
outposts to monitor the area. We Yanomami mainly eat the fish and game we
hunt. But now, for example, since the coming of the garimpeiros, the wild
pigs have disappeared.
We also ask you to give all necessary support to FUNAI because they cannot
help us without your support. Without them our land is unsafe and the
survival of our culture is threatened.
While we are grateful for what you have done for the Yanomami people, we
would like to remind you that the majority of our fellow Indians are still
awaiting the demarcation of their territory. Only you have the authority to
help them achieve this. We would like to make a special plea on behalf of
our neighbours, the Macuxi.
You shall stay forever in our hearts. You shall be remembered in our
feasts. You shall always be remembered as a noble man, a man of great
courage.
Davi Kopenawa Yanomami Levi Hewakalaxima Yanomami
Geraldo Kuesithere Yanomami
Comisso pela Criao do Parque Yanomami - CCPY
Rua Manoel da N"brega 111 cj.32
04001-900 So Paulo SP Brasil"