BRAZILIAN SENATE DISCUSSES BILL
LIFTING DEMARCATION OF YANOMAMI AREA
The Brazilian Senate is discussing a bill lifting the demarcation
of the Yanomami Indian Area. The bill was proposed by Ce'sar Dias,
senator for the State of Roraima, where a large part of the Yanomami
territory is located. The senator said the demarcation was "abusive and
illegal," aimed at serving "powerful international economic interests."
According to the senator, the bill, if approved, will nullify the
administrative decree issued by the minister of Justice on November 15,
1991 determining the demarcation. The decree played a fundamental role
in putting an end to the genocide which was being committed against the
Yanomami; between 1987 and 1991, about 15% of the Yanomami population
died of diseases, particularly malaria, brought by thousands of miners
who invaded their area. It was only after the territory was demarcated
by the Brazilian government that these invaders began to be removed
from the area.
The reasons proposed by the senador to nullify the decree are
ungrounded. According to him, the National Congress can "nullify
normative acts of the Executive Power which exceed its regulating power."
However, the decree issued by the minister of Justice determining the
demarcation is not a normative act, as Ce'sar Dias imagines, but rather
an administrative act, which the Legislative Branch is not entitled to
change.
In his bill, Ce'sar Dias argue that the demarcation caused
"irreparable damages to public interests." Again, the senador is mixing
up the facts, as the interests that were thwarted were the ones of
mining companies, miners and politicians of Roraima who intend to
invade the Yanomami area.
ASSASSINATED INDIANS
Two other Guajajara Indians were assassinated this week in the
State of Maranhco by two rural workers. They were killed during a party
in a village near the Cana Brava Indian Area. Another Guajajara was
beaten by rural workes and hospitalized with several injuries. It is
the fifth murder of Guajajara Indians in the last two years. They were
killed because of conflicts caused by invasions of their lands.
In retaliation, the Guajajara set fire to fourteen houses in the
village and took food and several heads of cattle belonging to
villagers to their Area. Several houses were abandoned, as the
villagers fear new retaliatory acts from the Indians.
Brasi'lia, July 8, 1993
CIMI - Indinist Missionary Council