SUICIDE RATE AMONG THE GUARANI-KAIOWA
IS THE HIGHEST IN THE LAST TEN YEARS
The number of suicides among the Guarani-Kaiowa Indians in the
state of Mato Grosso do Sul rose to 38. The last one, of a girl aged
nine, was registered in September. According to Funai itself, the
suicide rate this year is the highest in the last 10 years, exceeding
the 34 cases registered in 1990. The situation is truly alarming and
the Chamber of Deputies and Indianist agencies are worried with it. So
far, the government has not issued any statement about it.
On October 3, the Human Rights Commission will be holding a public
audience to discuss the problem with anthropologists and Indianist
agencies. On the 27th and 28th of the same month, the External
Commission for the Inspection of the Demarcation of Indian Lands will
go to Mato Grosso do Sul to check in loco the overpopulation problem
that has confined about 30 thousand Indians in 22 villages.
According to Funai, 183 suicides were registered in the last 10
years, 40% of which of adolescents aged less than 16. In 1994, the
annual average was two suicides at every 30-day period, and this year
the average rose to 4 cases in a month.
RORAIMA IS THE FIRST STATE TO BE VISITED BY EXTERNAL COMMISSION
Beginning with a visit to the Raposa Serra do Sol area on the 20th
and 21st of September, the External Commission of the Chamber of
Deputies in charge of inspecting the demarcation of Indian lands,
which is made up of eight deputies, will be on a field mission to
collect information on the situation of the area and on conflicts
which have been jeopardizing the demarcation of Indian lands. With
this purpose in view, the deputies will meet Indians, non-Indians, and
local authorities. On October 8-9 it will visit the Krikati Indian
area, located in the state of Maranhao, and on the 27th and 28th of
the same month it will visit the Guarani-Kaoiwa, in Mato Grosso do
Sul.
SENATE APPROVES THE USE OF FUNDS PROVIDED BY THE G-7
Last Friday, September 15, the Federal Senate passed Legislative
Decree n. 109, which approves bilateral acts signed between the
Brazilian and the German governments on April 6 to be applied to
environmental projects. One of the financial cooperation acts that
were approved is related to a joint project for protecting Indian
lands in legal Amazonia and for demarcating Indian lands as part of a
Pilot Project for protecting the Brazilian rain forests. About 30
million marks will be invested in the demarcation of 58 Indian areas
and the identification of 55 additional areas in five years.
Brasilia, September 20, 1995
Indianist Missionary Council - Cimi