1.
The new Decree 1,775/96 signed by
President Fernando Cardoso on
January 8, allows Brazilian states,
municipalities and other parties to
contest and oppose the delimitation
of indigenous lands (Down To Earth,
Vol 4, No 19). Says Beto Borges,
Amazon Campaign Coordinator of
the Rainforest Action Network
(RAN), "Brazil has taken a giant
step backward with respect to the
indigenous people's rights. It is
the wild west all over again, only
this time it is the rainforests of
Brazil."
Scarcely had the ink dried on the
Decree that the reclaiming of indigenous territory started in earnest. The
Sattin Agroindustrial Estate in the
state of Mato Grosso do Sui filed a
lawsuit to assert its rights over the
Guarani-Kaiowa indigenous area.
Soon after, the government of Bahia
state also filed a suit seeking to appropriate the Coroa Vermelha indigenous reserve of the Pataxo people.
Local a~tivists fear that it is only a
matter of time before a fresh assault is
made on Yanomami territory by gold
miners and others harbouring commercial interests. The Yanomami had
an assembly late last month to organise resistance against the take over of
their lands. Other groups have also
held similar meetings to discuss the
threat to their lands and lifestyles.
In the first debate on the Decree
held on February 5, the Brazilian
minister of justice, Nelson Jobim,
revealed that he will not discuss the
matter with anyone who is against the
possibilty of contestiQg the demarcation of indigenous areas. Meanwhile,
a number of environmental and
human rights groups including RAN,
Commission Pro-Yanomami, Council for the Articulation of Indigenous
Peoples and Organisations of Brazil
.and the Indianist Missionary Council
have asked human rights organisations and concerned people everywhere to put pressure on the
Brazilian government to withdraw
the genocidal Decree. Protest letters
addressed to President Cardoso are
already pouring in.
