Indians of Raposa/Serra Do Sol Conclude Self-Demarcation of Land
10/14/96
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** Topic: JOBIM VISITS RAPOSA/SERRA DO SOL AR **
** Written 5:48 PM Oct 14, 1996 by ax:cimi in cdp:rainfor.genera **
Newsletter n. 231
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 (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