FORUM IS CREATED IN BRAZIL TO
SPPED UP DEMARCATION OF INDIAN LANDS
The Indians in Brazil have a new ally. It is the National Forum for the
Defence of Indian Rights, created in Brasi'lia by supporting entities
and popular and Indian movements. As its first activity, the forum will
launch a campaign to pressure the Brazilian government to demarcate all
Indian lands in the country until October of this year, as provided for
in the Constitution.
In spite of the constitutional provision, there are no indications that
president Itamar Franco intends to comply with the deadline. Since he
took office, eight months ago, the land demarcation process has been
practically paralyzed. Last week, he fired the president of FUNAI
(National Indian Foundation) soon after holding a meeting with military
ministers, who oppose the demarcation of Indian lands. The ex-president
of the Indianist agency, Sidney Possuelo, kept constantly in touch with
Indian and supporting organizations and had begun the demercation of
several areas.
Political and economic groups are also pressuring the government to
halt the demarcation process. One of their main arguments is the size
of the Indian territories, which they think are too large. The Indians
are being accused of having too much land, which is not true. Some
peoples just have enough land to be able to survive as ethnically
differentiated groups, while others are trying at any cost to recover
their territory, which has been occupied by different invaders.
The Indian lands comprise approximately 10.5% of the Brazilian
territory, and about two-hundred peoples live in them, while according
to INCRA (National Colonization and Land Reform Institute), large-sized
farms occupy 48.5% of Brazil's surface area. Moreover, 21.7% of
exploitable land areas in Brazil are not being exploited in any way.
Based on these data, we can say that there is enough land for economic
and land reform projects to be carried out without the need to invade
Indian territories.
The Indian-Supporting Forum will support demarcation campaigns which
have already been launched in Brazil. One of them was launched by Coiab
(Board for the Coordenation of Indian Organizations in Brazil), with
the aim of pressuring for the demarcation of areas located in the
Amazonian region. The other, launched by CIR (Indian Council of
Roraima) and supported by CIMI (Indianist Missionary Council), is aimed
at promoting the demarcation of the Raposa/Serra do Sol Indian Area,
inhabited by 1887 Makuxi, Wapixana, Taurepang, and Ingariko' families.
The Forum will hold public demonstrations, audiences with government
authorities, and activities to disseminate information on the reality
of Indian peoples.
Brasi'lia, May 27th, 1993
CIMI - Indianist Missionary Council