GOVERNMENT USES AMAZONIAN WEEK TO
FURTHER QUESTIONABLE PURPOSES
The 7th Amazonian Week, which will be celebrated between the 21st and
the 28th of September in New York, will be taken advantage of by the
Brazilian Government to further questionable purposes. In a note to the
press, Cimi denounced the strategy of president Fernando Henrique Cardoso,
who is paving the way for his reelection two years from now, of minimizing
attacks on his administration, which became more intense after Decree
1,775/96 was issued. The government is covering 60% of the expenses of
this event, while the remaining 40% will be covered by private enterprises.
Without being consulted, entities such as Cimi and the Land Pastoral
Commission (CPT) were included in the committee which will select who will
be awarded the "Amazonian Week Prize." In reply, Cimi declared that it
will not take part in the event because it disagrees with the Indianist
policy of the Fernando Henrique administration and the position it has
adopted in relation to indigenous peoples in Brazil, which is not in tune
with their needs.
In Cimi's opinion, the week "will reflect the typical attitude of the
Brazilian government: a rhetoric of commitment to protecting indigenous
peoples, the rain forest and Amazonian communities but, in practice, no
political will, resources or actions in their favor." The enforcement of
Decree 1,775/96 corroborates this reasoning. The government must rely on
the support of the fiercest enemies of the rain forest to have the bills
it proposes passed and must negotiate with them each time it refers a bill
to the National Congress. In spite of the statements of the minister of
Environment, Gustavo Krause, in Bonn, that "economic stability is the best
assurance that nature will be protected." Cimi believes that, in practice,
"there is no specific policy for the poor, indigenous peoples, health,
education, nature." Therefore, an event whose purpose is to "attract
foreign investments on the false assumption that human rights are being
respected and involving the same old oligarchies and no concrete action in
favor of those who have been marginalized from the system - including the
Amazonian rain forest" deserves no credibility.
INDIANS DECIDE ON THE DEMARCATION OF THE RAPOSA/SERRA DO SOL AREA
During the demonstration staged on September 16 in Boa Vista, state of
Roraima, the Macuxi, Wapixana, Taurepang, Ingariko and Pantomana Indians
announced the self-demarcation of the Raposa/Serra do Sol indigenous area
soon. It is a means to protest against a thee-year delay to demarcate the
area due to political pressures after the fifteen years it took just to
identify it, giving rise to 18 years of tension and conflicts. The Indians
are also upset with the possible creation of two new municipalities -
Uiramuta and Pacaraima - in the indigenous area and the Indigenous Council
of Roraima (CIR) filed a writ of prevention at the Supreme Federal Court
against such possibility, since the preliminary order granted to Funai
suspending the creation of Uiramuta and Pacaraima was annulled by the
Federal Regional Court in Brasilia. After the news of the self-demarcation
got about, the minister of Justice, Nelson Jobim, announced for the fourth
time that he will be visiting the state. This is expected to take place
after the municipal elections, on October 10. CIR warns that if the acts
creating the municipalities are not annulled, the Indians will try to
prevent the holding of the elections scheduled for October 3 in those two
locations, giving rise to conflicts.
Brasilia, 19 September 1996
Indianist Missionary Council - Cimi