Reference: Asia, southern
Title: BRASIL: NEW MINISTER WANTS REVISION OF INDIAN LANDS, ENVIRONMENT
laws
rio de janeiro, 17 oct (ips) -- brazil's environment minister
designate fernando coutinho jorge, said he planned to review
amerindian territory with a view to reducing it and to soften
environmental protection laws.
coutinho, whose appointment has been opposed by environmental
non-governmental organizations (ngos), said in his first
interview since he was designated to head the new ministry, that
''indigenous reserves are fundamental, but the size of the
yanomani territory is subject to discussion.''
he also said he planned to revise brazil's environmental laws.
handpicked by interim president itamar franco, coutinho will
only be sworn in after his ministry is created by a presidential
decree, following negotiations with parliament.
the talks are scheduled to be held over the next few days.
the minister-designate proposed that the amerindian group's
lands should be revised on the basis of arguments put forward by
provincial governments, who feel the yanomani territory, located
in northern brazil, is much too big.
he said the location of the reserve should be reevaluated
since the territory is located on brazil's northern border, which
causes international problems and prevents the exploitation of
mineral resource.
the 9.4 million hectare yanomani territory has already been
delimited by the government, but the armed forces refused to mark
its borders, claiming that the creation of the territory could
affect national sovereignty over a large border area.
coutinho's statements, published saturday in a rio de janeiro
daily, 'o globo,' led the president of the national indian
foundation (funai) sidney possuelo, to tender his resignation
which, however, was not accepted by the government.
the funai is a governmental institution which looks after
amerindian affairs.
possuelo withdrew his resignation, but insisted that he would
not be able to remain in his post if coutinho's appointment is
ratified. ''if he stays, i don't,'' said the funai head, who has
years of experience in indigenous affairs.
coutinho's appointment is also opposed by environmental ngos.
they say he is unfit for the post since he represents
provincial governments and amazonian businessmen who put the
economic development of the amazon region before ecological
considerations. (more)
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coutinho's stand on the yanomani territory was published five
days after the death of former senator severo gomes, who authored
the project to define the indigenous group's land in 1991.
gomes died in a helicopter crash monday.
coutinho also plans to revise brazil's environmental laws,
considered among the most advanced in the world.
''it is necessary to seek solutions for the development and
the improvement of the quality of life'' in the amazon region, he
said.
he also proposed that, while rigorous action should be taken
against large projects involving the burning of forests in the
amazon, ''educative rather than punitive'' action should be taken
to curb such activities by small farmers.
justifying his position, he said ''the burning (of forests)
helps to correct the acidity of the soil.''
although the environmentalist lobby opposes his appointment,
coutinho jorge said he would try to maintain permanent dialogue
with ecological groups and get all governmental and
non-governmental bodies to participate in the environmental
management of the country. (end/ips/trd/so/mo-ono/kb/92)
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