JOBIM VISITS RAPOSA/SERRA DO SOL AREA. INDIANS CONCLUDE SELF-
DEMARCATION
The Minister of Justice, Nelson Jobim, will be visiting Roraima with a
fait accompli: the Macuxi, Wapixana, Taurepang, and Ingariko Indians
concluded this week the (physical) self-demarcation of the Raposa/Serra do
Sol indigenous area. The Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR) anticipates
that the marks identifying the area will be set up this Thursday, the same
day on which the minister will be visiting the region. It took four days
for the Indians to conclude the demarcation of 1,678,800 hectares and they
were technically supported by topographers who work for the Union of
Indigenous Nations of Acre (UNI-Acre). The bounds of the area were defined
by Funai in 1993 and therefore the Indigenous peoples who live in the
region just want the minister to recognize the work that has been carried
out so far by signing an administrative decree for this purpose, followed
by the homologation and registration of the area.
Meanwhile, another appeal seeks to annul the creation of the
municipalities of Uiramuta~ and Pacaraima, in the Raposa/Serra do Sol and
Sao Marcos indigenous areas, respectively. On October 1, the General
Attorney, Geraldo Brindeiro, filed a Direct Unconstitutionality Action
(ADIN) requesting a preliminary order annulling the effects of laws n. 096
and 098 of 17 October 1995, which create the two cities and provide that
their administrative headquarters would be located within the villages.
The minimum period for judging the Direct Unconstitutionality Action is 60
days. The writ of prevention filed by the Indigenous Council of Roraima
(CIR) is being analyzed by the General Attorney since September 23 and so
far he has not issued any opinion on it. If the Unconstitutionality Action
is judged before that date, the decision will have a direct effect on the
Writ of Prevention. The two actions, however, may be judged together,
since their rapporteur is the same person, minister Mauricio Correa.
GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED NEW HOMOLOGATIONS OF INDIGENOUS AREAS
Each time the president of the Republic, the minister of Justice or
the president of Funai make important trips, the government announces
packages of decrees to further administrative procedures for the
demarcation of indigenous areas. It happened when minister Jobim traveled
to Europe in March and is happening again before his trip to Roraima to
visit the Raposa/Serra do Sol indigenous area. On October 4, the Official
Newspaper published Decrees issued by the president of the Republic
homologating the following areas: Maxakali (Minas Gerais), of the people
of the same name, Laranjinha, of the Guarani-Nandeva (Parana),
Trincheira-Bacaja, of the Xikrin Indians, Apyterewa, Arawete and Assurini
(Para), Marechal Rondon and Areoes, of the Xavante (Mato Grosso), and
Enawene-Nawe (Mato Grosso), of the same people. In the same issue of the
newspaper, the minister of Justice published Administrative Decrees
declaring the bounds and determining the administrative demarcation by
Funai of the following indigenous lands: Ava-Canoeiro (Goias),
Urubu-Branco (Mato Grosso), and Kaxinawa-Ashaninka do Rio Breu (Acre), of
peoples of the same name.
All these administrative demarcation procedures have been in course
since Decree 22/91 was issued. In Cimi's opinion, it shows that Decree
1,775/96 has not managed to speed up the demarcation of indigenous areas
so far. Most demarcations in course resulted from pressures or political
interests of the Brazilian government.
In the case of the Maxakali area, the homologation was suspended in
January. Coincidentally or not, that indigenous people concluded an
international campaign for the legalization of the Maxakali territory in
August of this year, when a dossier containing 50,000 signatures collected
in Brazil and abroad in support of their cause was delivered to the
Ministry of Justice.
The Ava-Canoeiro in Goias almost had their territory flooded by the
reservoir of the Serra da Mesa Power Plant on October 1. A flagrant
violation of the Constitution which was prevented by a judicial ruling.
The Ava-Canoeiro were awarded an administrative decree declaring the
bounds of the area only recently, and they still have a long way to go
until it is fully legalized. Congress is acting quickly to authorize the
operation of the power plant, while Cimi and other entities are trying to
secure a solution ensuring the survival of this people.
TWO INDIGENOUS MAYORS ARE ELECTED
Good surprises were registered in the municipal elections of 1996. For
the first time in the political history of the country, two indigenous
mayors were elected. In Oiapoque (Para), Joao Neves (Brazilian Socialist
Party) was elected as expected with 1,713 of the 2,868 votes of the
municipality. In Baia da Trai<ao (Paraiba), Indian Marcos Potiguara (Party
of the Brazilian Democratic Movement) replaced Nancy Potiguara, the first
Indian to win an election for the municipal executive branch. In Amapa,
Neves is preparing a big party for his inauguration on January 1 with the
presence of representatives of opposition parties, such as the Workers'
Party (PT), and possibly of president Fernando Henrique Cardoso (Party of
the Brazilian Social Democracy), who has not confirmed his presence so
far. In Paraiba, the Potiguara confirmed their strength by electing two
consecutive mayors in the littoral city. In the election of Marcos
Potiguara, the Indians reinforced their determination to have a mayor
aligned with the struggle of the people.
In spite of difficulties to get information on the mayors and
councilmen who were elected, Cimi has so far registered the victory of 16
candidates for councilman, 4 for vice-mayor, and two for mayor. Taking
part in elections is not exactly a new thing for indigenous peoples, who
elected a federal deputy once, Chief Mario Juruna (83-86), and had other
candidates for federal and state posts. The unique feature of this year's
elections is that some candidates, including some winners, are directly
linked to the indigenous movement, such as Nelino Gale, Macuxi,
coordinator of the Indigenous Council of Roraima, Antonio Pereira, Xukuru
de Ororuba, representative of the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of
the Northeast, Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo (APOINME) in the state of
Pernambuco, and Joao Neves, from the Indigenous Peoples' Association of
Oiapoque (APIO).
Brasilia, 10 October 1996
Indianist Missionary Council - Cimi