MILITARY POLICE INVADE
VILLAGE AND BEAT UP INDIANS
About seventy soldiers from the Military Police of the state of Roraima
and seven others from the Army invaded the Caraparu II village, located
close to the border between Brazil and Guyana, where they beat up two
Makuxi Indians and destroyed three houses. The operation was aimed at
forcing the Indians to leave the village, which is located 3 km away from
the Cotingo river, where the government of the state intends to build a
power station. The soldiers also destroyed a corral and a pigsty, damaged
a solar panel, beat seven Indians with kicks and blows with the butt of
their guns, fired several shots, and set off a bomb. The invasion took
place on January 7 and several military policemen have not left Caraparu
II so far.
Colonel Benito Gonza'lez, commander of the Military Police, told CIR
(Indian Council of Roraima) that he will send more soldiers to the Indian
area. The police are trying to prevent about 1 thousand Indians who
gathered in the Maturuca village from occupying Caraparu II. These Indians
intended to prevent the beginning of the works on the power station.
The Army denied to the Ministry of Justice that any of its soldiers
had taken part in the operation. The Makuxi, however, afirm that sevem of
the invaders were wearing Army uniforms. According to colonel Benito
Gonza'lez, there was no aggression and the Indians hurt themselves on
purpose. He also said that the order to remove the Makuxi from the area
came from the governor of the state.
The building of a power station at the Cotingo river depends on the
authorization of the Nacional Congress and on the consent of Indian
communities who live in the area. The governor of Roraima seems to be
the only one who supports the project, because even ELETROBRAS, a
state-owned company, advised against it and the DNAEE (National Water
and Power Department), an agency of the Ministry of Mines and Energy,
has not approved the lease which is required for exploiting the river
for such purpose.
The federal administration has not taken any measures to settle
the conflict. An important step would be to demarcate the area, whose
final approval has been pending for one year at the Ministry of Justice.
Brasi'lia, January 12th, 1995
CIMI - Indianist Missionary Council