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WORLDWIDE FOREST/BIODIVERSITY CAMPAIGN NEWS

German Parliament Members Press for Brazilian Indigenous Land Demarcation

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Forest Networking a Project of Ecological Enterprises

7/25/96

OVERVIEW & SOURCE by EE

Following is an update on Brazilian rainforest conservation issues posted

by the Indianist Missionary Council - Cimi, in econet's rainfor.general

conference. It reports on the planned meeting between indigenous leaders

and German parliamentarians. The German government recently approved a

resolution which asks "the Brazilian Government to speed up the demarcation

of indigenous lands in Brazil" and that failure to do so may mean freezing

"the financial support being provided by the German government for that

purpose." Governments which accept multinational aid for the purpose of

indigenous peoples, conservation and sustainable development must be held

accountable for enacting their pledges.

g.b.

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/** rainfor.genera: 155.0 **/

** Topic: GERMAN MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT WILL CO **

** Written 3:08 PM Jul 22, 1996 by ax:cimi in cdp:rainfor.genera **

Newsletter n. 219

GERMAN MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT WILL COME TO BRASILIA TO MEET

INDIGENOUS LEADERS

Indigenous leaders are looking forward to meeting deputy Angelika Koster-

Lossak, from the German Green Party, next week, when she will be arriving

in Brasilia. The deputy is a member of the International Cooperation

Committee of the German Parliament, which on the 26th approved the

resolution "Demarcation of Indigenous Territories in Brazil," through which

the Parliament decided to ask the Brazilian Government to speed up the

demarcation of indigenous lands in Brazil and, if nothing happens, it might

freeze the financial support being provided by the German government for

that purpose.

The decision of the International Cooperation Committee was determined by a

trip of Brazilian Indians to Europe in May of this year. In the approved

resolution, the Committee supports all the arguments presented by the

Indians (who represented indigenous organizations of Brazil), according to

which Decree 1775/96 "clearly jeopardized the legal grounds which ensure

the rights of indigenous peoples to their lands and the protection of

their territories from invaders." The German deputy is expected to assume a

position with regard to the decision of the Brazilian government to review

the demarcation of eight indigenous areas: Evare 1 and Suruini-Mariene, in

the state of Amazonas, Raposa/Serra do Sol, in the state of Roraima, Bau

and Apyterewa, in the state of Para', Sete Cerros, in the state of Mato

Grosso do Sul, Kampa do Rio Envira, in the state of Acre, and Krikati,

in the state of Maranhao.

KIRIRI INDIANS EXPEL SQUATTERS FROM INDIGENOUS AREA

This week, a group of 200 Kiriri Indians took the initiative of expelling

about 40 squatters from an indigenous area located in the municipality of

Banzae, in the state of Bahia, where 2,000 Indians live. The Kiriri are not

pleased with the slow pace of the negotiations being carried out by Funai

to expropriate areas occupied by squatters and invaders inside their

territory. It is the second time in two years that the Kiriri act on their

own to ensure the integrity of their 12,320-hectare territory, which has

been demarcated already. The squatters who were expelled by the Indians are

lodged near the site of the conflict and will remain there until it is

settled.

PREJUDICE KILLS INDIAN IN THE STATE OF ACRE

A trivial discussion involving three Indians of the Shanenawa ethnic group

and military policemen on Sunday, July 14, in Feijo, a city located in the

state of Acre, ended in tragedy. It all happened because Indians Raimundo

Silvino, Jose Augustinho Brandao and Nicolau Brandao hugged a nine-year-old

boy, the son of CIMI missionary who was accompanying the policemen.

Although they were not on duty, the policemen were carrying their guns

and, because they were drunk, they thought that the Indians wanted to beat

the boy. Refusing to hear any explanations, they shot Indian Augustinho

Brandao in the head in cold blood, killing him, and wounded Silvino and

Nicolau as they rushed to the forest. The policemen were arrested and taken

into custody to the headquarters of the Military Police in city of Feijo'.

Policemen in large numbers have now occupied the city, causing tension in

the region. CIMI fears for the security of the boy and of the Shanenawa

Indians, since the cold-blooded nature of the crime shows that in Brazil

Indians are still victims of prejudice, which marginalizes and kills many

of them. The entity launched a solidarity campaign in favor of that

indigenous people requesting that letters and telegrams be sent to Judge

Quirino Lucas de Morais demanding justice and the end of impunity for

killers of Indians. The address is: Comarca de Feijo' - Travessia Floriano

Peixoto, 206 -Centro - Feijo' - Estado do Acre.

Brasilia, 18 July 1996

Indianist Missionary Council - Cimi

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