RESOLUTION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT HAS REPERCUSSIONS IN BRAZIL
The Brazilian government had a negative reaction to the resolution
passed by the European Parliament on the 15th of February accusing
Brazil of backwardness in its Indianist policy, which threatens
indigenous rights. The Parliament criticizes Decree 1775, based on
which private individuals may interfere in the administrative phase of
the procedures for the demarcation of indigenous lands. According to
the parliamentarians, that decree ``was the result of pressures from
powerful landowners, miners and of societies engaged in the
exploitation of mineral and forest resources.'' The decision of the
European Parliament was disseminated by Jornal do Brazil, a newspaper
with a large circulation, on February 17. When the press asked
minister Nelson Jobim what he though of the resolution, he said that
``they should be more concerned with the problems in Bosnia, which
they have not managed to solve.'' The minister got even more irritated
when he was informed that Europarliamentarians are trying to persuade
the European Union (EU) to condemn Brazil's attitude too.
Worried with Brazil's image abroad, president Fernando Henrique
Cardoso quickly summoned the president of Funai, Marcio Santilli, to
the Planalto Palace for a meeting on Saturday afternoon. The results
of the meeting have not been disseminated, but information got about
that Santilli was instructed to remain ``on the alert.'' The Brazilian
government decided not to cancel the trip of minister Nelson Jobim to
Europe, which is scheduled to begin on March 25. Arrogantly, Jobim
says that Brazil will not be forced to provide explanations to the
international public opinion and that the aim of the trip is to
present the National Human Rights Plan. He did not explain, however,
why he criticized the European Parliament, in an attitude that reminds
us of the military regime of the past, which when accused of torturing
and killing political opponents exalted the national sovereignty and
criticized European parliamentarians. In Cimi's opinion, the
resolution of the Parliament represents a victory for indigenous
peoples and organizations that are fighting against the threat posed
by decree 1775/96.
The president of the ``France Libertes'' Foundation, Danielle
Mitterrand, also sent a letter to the Brazilian government. Addressed
to president Fernando Henrique Cardoso, it asks the federal
administration to ``take great care'' to avoid jeopardizing the right
of indigenous communities to a land to live in through the new decree.
CONFLICT IN XAVANTE AREA CAUSES THREE CASUALTIES
The climate in the city of Campinapolis, state of Mato Grosso, is
still tense after a confrontation involving Xavante Indians from three
villages located in the state and lumbermen last Friday, February 16.
In the conflict, three whites were shot, arrowed or clubbed to death
and three persons were wounded, including an Indian, Joao Werede, head
of an indigenous station that was trying to prevent the invasion of
indigenous lands and the illegal extraction of hardwood therefrom.
Because of communication difficulties in the region, there is no
precise information on the situation right now, but rumors got about
that the Xavante are planning to attack relatives of the lumbermen
to avenge the attempt to kill Werede. However, nothing of the kind has
actually happene.
Brasilia, February 23, 1996
Indianist Missionary Council - Cimi