Lawyer is Murdered for Supporting Demarcation
5/18/95
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Newsletter n. 159
LAWYER IS MURDERED FOR SUPPORTING DEMARCATION
Farmers who are against the demarcation of the Xucuru de
Ororuba Indian Area, located in the state of Pernambuco, shot to
death FUNAI's lawyer Geraldo Rolim da Mota, who for many years was
a legal adviser to Indians. The crime was committed on Sunday, the
14th, after many death threats. Since May 10, Rolim was monitoring
the physical demarcation of the area. The land traditionally
occupied by the Xucuru, whose bounds were defined in a ministerial
decree issued in May 1992, comprises 26,980 hectares, 90% of which
have been invaded by farmers, settlers, and the Peixe food
industry. The Xucuru are now worried that the farmers might try to
kill Chief Chicao too.
In spite of the tension, FUNAI has not suspended the placement
of markers indicating the boundaries of the area. Meanwhile, a
group of Indians is in Recife denouncing the crime and asking the
participation of the Federal Police in the investigation, so as to
avoid the impunity of the murder.
The pressure against the demarcation of the Xucuru area is
strong. As soon as it began to be carried out in practice, federal
deputies from Pernambuco met the minister of Justice, Nelson
Jobim, and asked him to suspend it. The Xucuru, however, are
determined to ensure the demarcation and organized sectors of the
society are supporting their constitutional right. In the city of
Pesqueira, the climate is one of
fear.
MEETING IN RAPOSA/SERRA DO SOL
Because of the acts of violence that have been repeatedly
registered in the Raposa/Serra do Sol Indian Area, the Macuxi,
Taurepang, Ingarico, and Wapixana Indians called a meeting between
representatives of the public power and Indian communities to be
held on May 19-20 at the Maturuca village, in the state of
Roraima. The Indians want to protest against the fact that two
years after its identification, the bounds of the land have not
been officially defined by the government for demarcation
purposes.
They also denounced the attempt to build the Cotingo Power
Plant and, more recently, an agreement between the government and
the Army that was characterized as an intervention in the area
which defied even human rights. After it was assigned to replace
the Military Police in the duty of preserving the law and the
order in the area, the Army is actually serving interests which
are not in tune with those of the Indians and repressing their
action to ensure their right to the land, expressly provided for
in the Constitution.
The Indians invited representatives of the Office of the
Attorney-General, ministry of Justice and Environment, Funai,
Commission for Minorities and Human Rights of the Chamber of
Deputies, CNBB, the government of Roraima, the Legislative
Assembly, and of entities that support the Indians to take part in
the meeting. Its goal, according to a note issued by the Indian
Council of Roraima (CIR), is to define a definitive solution
ensuring the rights of the Indians to the demarcation of their
land, to assistance, and to sustainable development projects based
on their specific needs. Violence, however, is expected to be one
of the main topics to be discussed. The Indians have been
systematically denouncing arbitrary acts against them and have
officially requested that the Army leave the area.
Brasilia, May 18, 1995
Indianist Missionary Council - CIMI