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WORLDWIDE
FOREST/BIODIVERSITY CAMPAIGN NEWS
Brazilian
Groups Take Stand Against Changes in Demarcation Decree
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Forest
Networking a Project of Ecological Enterprises
June 6,
1995
OVERVIEW
& SOURCE
Brazilian
President Fernando Henrique Cardoso recently received a
document
from the Council for the articulation of Indian Peoples
and
organizations of Brazil (CAPOIB) which asks that the
government
not amend decree 22/91 which provides for demarcation
of
Indian lands. Though demarcation has
ong been promised, there
are
significant indications that the Brazilian government may be
easing
its efforts to legally demarcate Indian lands.
Such
backsliding
will have significant consequences for Brazil's
indigenous
populations and biology of the Amazon.
The piece wraps
up with
a request for letters on the subject.
This was posted in
econet's
rainfor.general conference.
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RELAYED
TEXT STARTS HERE:
/*
Written 7:36 AM Jun
6, 1995 by ax:cimi in igc:rainfor.genera
*/
/*
---------- "Capoib takes a stand against chang" ---------- */
Newsletter
n. 161
CAPOIB TAKES A STAND AGAINST
CHANGES
IN DEMARCATION
DECREE
The
Council for the articulation of Indian Peoples and
organizations
of Brazil (CAPOIB) delivered a document to President
Fernando
Henrique Cardoso yesterday claiming that the Brazilian
government
should not promote any amendments to decree 22/91,
which
provides for the procedures to be adopted in the demarcation
of
Indian lands. The document was given to the president together
with a
list of claims of rural social movements articulated under
the
''Grito Terra Brazil'' (Shout for the Brazilian Land), a
movement
which held its second annual meeting last month. The
following
entities are promoting the ''Shout'': Single Workers
Association
(CUT), Confederation of Agricultural Workers (Contag),
Landless
Movement (MST), Movement of individuals affected by Dams
(MAB),
National Council of Rubber-Gatherers, National Fishermen
Movement
(MONAPE), Organization of Female Rural Workers and
Capoib.
In
Capoib's document, the entity says that the proposal for
mending
decree 22/91 contemplating the review of demarcated lands
and he
participation of private individuals and corporations in
the
dministrative procedure for the demarcation of Indian lands
will
ause serious consequences to Indian peoples. According to
Capoib,
''it only strengthens the interests of those who
systematically
oppose the rights of Indian peoples to lands
traditionally
occupied by them, including military sectors, in
relation
to Indian lands located close to the border.'' In
Capoib's
opinion, all acts aimed at the possession, domain and
occupation
of Indian lands are null under the Federal
Constitution.
The entity declared that ''there is no acquired
right
against the Constitution and, therefore, there is no right
being
violated.''
The
entity warns that the amendments to decree 22/91 will delay
even
more the demarcation of Indian lands, making room for new
conflicts
and stimulating acts of violence against the affected
communities.
In conclusion, it asks the federal administration
''to
act firmly and with determination to ensure our rights,
resuming,
at last, the demarcation of our lands.''
Considering
the seriousness of the facts that can happen, we are
asking
you to send a note to President Fernando Henrique Cardoso
and to
the Minister of Justice, Nelson Jobim, in support of the
Brazilian
Indian movement and against the proposed amendments to
Decree
22/91.
The
notes are to be sent to the following addresses:
President
Fernando Henrique Minister
Nelson Jobim
Cardoso Esplanada dos
Ministerios -
Palacio
do Planalto, 3o andar Bloco T
70160-900
- Brasilia - DF 70064-900 -
Brasilia - DF
Fax:
(061) 226-7566 Fax:
(061) 321-5145
Brasilia, 02 de junho de 1995.
Conselho Indigenista
Missionario - CIMI
###RELAYED
TEXT ENDS###
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