Copyright 1995 InterPress Service, all rights reserved.
Worldwide distribution via the APC networks.
*** 02-Feb-96 ***
Title: BRAZIL-ENVIRONMENT: NGOS protest Cardoso move on Indian lands
WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (IPS) - A coalition of 80 environmental, church,
and human rights groups have sent an urgent protest to Brazilian
President Fernando Henrique Cardoso demanding that he revoke an
executive order which, according to the groups, could provoke a
massive land grab in Indian reserves.
Copies of the letter, which was sent Thursday, have also been
sent to the U.S. government and multilateral agencies, including
the World Bank and the U.N. Development Programme, which fund
projects affecting indigenous lands and people in Brazil.
The order, Decree 1775, was issued on Jan 8 and gives ranchers,
loggers, miners and local governments 90 days to stake claims on
land within the 344 Indian areas which have not yet been entered
into the country's official land registry.
Many of the 210 existing reserves, which are supposed to be
protected by the government, may also be challenged in court,
according to the groups.
The groups, which includes major U.S. environmental
organisations, like the Sierra Club, the International Rivers
Network, and the National Wildlife Federation, say the decree
''represents a huge step backwhard which will likely lead to the
violation of the rights of indigenous peoples'' under the 1988
constitution.
They warn the decree may also delay the process of demarcating
indigenous territories in Brazil and could result in an
''escalation of conflicts over land and natural resources which
will threaten the survival of indigenous populations in Brazil,
and their most fundamental human right to exist as distinct
species.''
Among other U.S. signers are the Rainforest Action Network,
Oxfam America, Earth Action, the Development GAP, and Cultural
Survival-Canada.(END/IPS/JL/96)
Origin: Washington/BRAZIL-ENVIRONMENT/
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