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* GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE *
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>> GREENPEACE SAYS THAT GOVERNMENT IS INOPERANT IN
THE DEFENSE OF THE IANOMAMI AND CRITICIZES THE IMPUNITY
RIO DE JANERIO, Brazil August 19, 1993 (GP) Greenpeace yesterday
sent a letter to President Itamar Franco repudiating the massacre
of Ianomami men, women and children that occurred this past
weekend at the Roraima reservation and criticizing the
inoperativeness of the federal government in the defense of the
Brazilian indigenous population. The massacre of the Ianomami,
according to information obtained from Funai and other
organizations linked to the indigenous movement, was fulfilled by
gold prospectors that act illegally in the area.
"The formal position of the government in relation to the
removal of gold prospectors from Ianomami lands has not been
sufficient in inhibiting their presence nor of impeding serious
facts such as occurred with the massacre. Government efforts
need to be doubled" states the letter, which was also sent to the
Minister of Justice, Mauricio Correa, the president of the House
of Representatives, Inocencio Coelho, to the president of Funai,
Claudio Romero and to the Attorney General of the Republic,
Aristides Junqueira.
Signed by the Executive Director of Greenpeace Brazil,
anthropologist Rubem de Almeida, the letter emphasizes that "once
again the country is faced with a serious incident that portrays
the disregard and disrespect for human life. This time, the
event is of extreme importance given its genocide characteristic
that will contribute to the already stained image of our country
abroad".
After demanding from the government the establishment of
necessary conditions so that the indigenous peoples of Brazil can
achieve their economic, social and cultural life, Greenpeace
concludes affirming that it is lamentable that "human life is
sacrificed in the name of economic interest and that impunity,
which has given a sinister peculiarity to our country, and
justice once again are reproduced in this frightening, revolting
and cowardly massacre of Ianomami men, women and children".
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