Government Promises to Protect 10% of Forests by Year 2000
12/18/97
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RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:
Title: Government Promises to Protect 10% of Forests by Year 2000
Source: SEJUP (Servico Brasileiro de Justica e Paz)
Status: Distribute freely with proper credit given to source
Date: 12/18/97
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NEWS FROM BRAZIL supplied by SEJUP (Servico Brasileiro de Justica e Paz).
Number 296, December 18, 1997.
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ECOLOGY
- Brazil promises to protect 10% of the forests.
On December 04, the Brazilian government took on the responsibility of
protecting at least 10% of all its' forests by the year 2000. The promise of
the government is contained in a letter sent by the Brazilian ambassador in
London, Rubens Barbosa, to Prince Phillip who is honory president of the
WWF. The WWF had launched a campaign calling on all countries to protect 10%
of their forest areas by the end of the century.
According to Eduardo Martins, head of IBAMA (the Brazilian official
governmental environment agency), Brazil already protects 9% of its'
forests. A additional 1% would mean an increase of 4 million hectares
protected. However, Mr. Martins provoked considerable confusion when he
replied to journalists that extraction of timber would be allowed from the
protected areas.
- Greenpeace blocks genetically-modified soy imports into Brazil
SAO PAULO, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Greenpeace activists boarded a ship in
southern Brazil on Sunday and blocked it from unloading genetically-modified
soybeans from the United States, the environmental group said.
Six Greenpeace members chained themselves to unloading equipment on
board the Sanko Robust at Sao Francisco do Sul port in Parana state, said
Paulo Adario, Greenpeace's spokesman in Brazil.
At least one person was injured in the incident, a source at the port's
administrative offices said. Adario said the injuries occurred when a
scuffle broke out between reporters covering the protest and port workers
and the ship's crew.
Greenpeace activists earlier tried unsuccessfully to prevent the ship,
which was carrying 34,000 metric tons of genetically-modified soybeans, from
docking.
``Right now six of our members have invaded the ship and are impeding
the unloading of its cargo. They have chained themselves to the unloading
equipment,'' Adario said.
The activists, who carried banners reading ``Frankensoy: Don't Swallow
It!'' and ``Yankee Soybean Go Home!,'' are prepared to maintain their
protest ``indefinitely,'' he said.
The ship was carrying one of the first shipments of transgenic soybeans
to Brazil. The government in early October authorized importation of 1.5
million metric tons of U.S. soybeans for industrial processing.
The government decided then there was no basic difference between
conventional soybeans and the genetically-modified variety.
The environmental group hopes to block imports of the modified soybeans
and prevent Brazil, the world's No. 2 soybean producer, from growing the
modified bean.
Greenpeace, arguing that environmental and health effects of the
genetically- modified plants are unknown, wants governments at least to
require labeling of soy products to identify those made from modified beans.
Brazil may be the only major grower that does not produce transgenic
soybeans, but a recent poll showed an overwhelming majority of Brazilian
soybean growers are prepared to plant them once the government authorizes
their cultivation.
The growers believe the new beans will reduce costs, boost productivity
and improve competitiveness with U.S. and other foreign growers. (REUTERS)
- SEJUP's update on the Reuters material.
Press reports on December 16 tell of the holding of 10 Greenpeace
members involved in the soybean protest for questioning by federal police in
Joinville, State of Santa Catarina. The group - which included 6
non-Brazilians, was held by police on the afternoon of December 15 when they
were traveling from the port of Sao Francisco do Sul to Florianopolis. After
making statements, the group was released by the police. The press reports
speculated that the six non-Brazilians would be expelled from Brazil within
the next few days.
INDIGENOUS ISSUES
- 1996: 95% increase of invasion of indigenous areas.
The Indigenous Missionary Council (CIMI) released a document entitled
''A Report of Violence Against Indigenous Peoples - 1996'' at the end of
its' 12th. General Assembly on December 05. The report shows that an
increase of 95% of invasions of indigenous areas took place during 1996 and
one of the chief culprits pointed to is Decree 1775/96 which the government
signed in early 1996. In all 109 such cases took place during the year and
affected 86 indigenous peoples in Brazil.
Invasions of indigenous areas: The group chiefly responsible were
miners - approximately 21 thousand in all. A further 10 thousand invaded
indigenous areas to steal timber (43 invasions in the territories of 36
indigenous groups) or to occupy land within the indigenous areas. In 1995 a
total of 25 invasions of lumber merchants were registered and 36 in 1994.
1749 cases of illegal occupation of lands in indigenous areas were
registered during 1996 in 91 indigenous territories spread over 17 states.
CIMI believes that Decree 1775/96 was chiefly responsible for the widespread
invasions of indigenous areas.
Reduction of indigenous areas: The CIMI report points out that
President Fernando Henrique Cardoso will be remembered as the Brazilian
president who reduced indigenous areas. The territory of the Ava-Canoeiro in
the State of Goias was reduced. The group lost 10% of its' area due to the
filling of the Serra da Mesa hydo-electric dam. Other groups are also
threatened with reduction of their areas - in the State of Bahia the Coroa
Vermelha and the Pataxo and in Roraima, areas of the Macuxi, Wapixana,
Taurepang and Ingariko.
Diseases: The CIMI report calls attention to a 92% increase in diseases
amongst indigenous peoples during 1996 - 43% of this total was recorded in
the State of Roraima. An increase of 34% of deaths were registered amongst
Brazilian indigenous people as well during the year.
- Federal deputies push to have mining projects passed in Congress.
CIMI reported on December 11 that for the second week running the
government group of deputies in the National Congress tried to put law
project 1610 A/96 on the list of urgent projects to be discussed
immediately. This project was submitted by Senator Romero Juca of the State
of Roraima and deals with mining in indigenous territories. If the law
proposal is passed all requests for mining in indigenous areas prior to the
passing of the 1988 Constitution will get priority. This latest amendment to
the Constitution included more rigorous defense mechanisms of indigenous
groups. The law project would also allow mining in indigenous areas where
isolated groups of indians whose territory has not yet been defined are
present. The push to have the project discussed with urgency is seen by CIMI
as a tactic to facilitate its' passing as Congress slows down towards the
end of the year.
The government's indigenous agency - FUNAI, is in favor of the project
claiming that it has conditions to inspect mining activities. This
affirmation is seriously questioned by many NGOs who accompany the
indigenous peoples. CIMI proposed that the project should be included in the
Statute of the Indigenous Peoples which has been held up in the National
Congress since 1994 because of government opposition. Deputy Geraldo Pastana
of the Workers' Party (PT) of Para officially requested the President of
Congress within recent days that voting on this project not be held. He
argues that the president of the commission which approved the law project
(Deputy Elton Rohnelt of the State of Roraima) and presented its' final
version to Congress is the Director / President of the Amazonian Mining
Company. Deputy Pastana claims that his colleague's personal interest in
mining disqualifies him from presenting the final proposal to Congress.
At the moment there are approximately 30 thousand requests for
authorization to survey and mine in indigenous areas registered in the
National Department of Mineral Production (DNPM).
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