Next week, the Brazilian government will have to give a reply to
300 Indian representatives as to how it intends to fulfill the time set by
the Constitution for marking off the boundaries of Indian lands, which
is Octuber 5. The Indians will be in Brasmlia to take part in a
demonstration that will extend from September 14 to bringing
together representatives from most of Brazil's indigenous peoples.
The indians fear that the time limit will not be respected. Of the
519 indigenous areas only 87 have been marked off and legalized; 106 have
not even had their surveying process started; the rest are in the process
of being legalized. The government alleges lack of funds, but for marking
the boundaries what is mostly needed is political will on the part of
the government, which is under pressure from economic, political and
military interest groups that oppose the Indian lands. If the time limit is
not fulfilled, that does not mean that the indians lose their right to
the lands.
The 300 Indians will also tell legislators that they are opposed to a
revision of the Constitution, which has been defend mostly by
consercatice sectors of Brazilian society. According to meeting organizers,
if the Constitution is revised the Indians could lose the rights they
have gained. They are scheduled to meet with the presidents of the Senate
and the Chamber of Deputies on Sptember 16. It is also probable that on
the same day they will speak with the President of Brazil.
Another theme to be discussed at the meeting is the new Indian Statute
which is being debated in the Congress. The Statute will establish the
conditions under which mining may be permitted on Indian lands. The first
two days of the meeting (September 14 and 15) will be set aside for the
Indians to study the agenda of the mobilization meeting.
YANOMAMI MASSACRE
As recently as the beginning of last week, the Brazilian government
was still reluctant to state officially that gold prospectors were
responsible for the slaughter of the Yanomami Indians. But on Friday,
the Justice Minister Mauri'cio Corre^a declared: "The undeniable truth is
that the murderers are Brazilians."
The Federal Police is investigating the deaths. According to the
National Indian Foundation (FUNAI) in the state of Roraima, warrants have
been issued for the arrest of four prospectors, but only one is in
prision. Funai reports that he has confessed to taking part in the massacre.
Brasmlia, September 9, 1993
CIMI - Indianist Missionary Council