***********************************************

WORLDWIDE FOREST/BIODIVERSITY CAMPAIGN NEWS

Brazilian Guarani-Kaiowa Indigenous Community Given Eviction Notice

***********************************************

Forest Networking a Project of Ecological Enterprises

5/16/96

OVERVIEW & SOURCE by EE

The Rainforest Action Network reports in an URGENT Action Alert on the

eviction from their land being carried out in Brazil of the Guarani-Kaiowa

peoples. Only recently had their traditional claim to the land been made

legal, and now an abrupt legal about face. The community threatens

"collective suicide" if the rancher's claim to their traditional land is

enacted, and they are evicted. This is an urgent, rapidly developing

situation; and your email, letter or fax to the addresses given at the end

of the action alert will make a difference.

g.b.

*******************************

RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:

Rainforest Action Network

http://www.ran.org/ran/ran_campaigns/amazonia/guarani_action.html

Urgent Action Needed!

Guarani-Kaiowa Community of Jarara Given Eviction Notice (May 15, 1996)

According to CIMI-MS, the Guarani-Kaiowa community of Jarara was given an

eviction notice by Theotonio Costa, Minister of the Regional Federal Court.

The new eviction notice states that the Guarani, a community of some 25O

people, will be evicted from their land in ten days (BY MAY 19TH, 1996,

according to our calculations).

In March, the community of Jarara returned to their lands from which they

had been evicted years before. At that time, Judge Jean Marcos Ferreira of

the Regional Federal Court, ruled that the community should stay on their

land, saying "cattle can be sold, indigenous peoples cannot be sold - this

phrase is not mine, but I agree entirely with it ". He argued that to rule

in favor of the Guarani-Kaiowa was just because it was a decision in favor

of their very survival

On May 9, however, Minister Theotonio Costa overruled Judge Ferreira's

decision and signed an eviction order in response to a suit filed by

rancher Miguel Subtil de Oliveira. The new eviction order could cause

serious violence, according to CIMI-MS, because the community of Jarara has

indicated that they will not leave their land. In a letter dated March 23,

1996, they write "if the court decides to evict us, we will commit

collective suicide" and again upon learning of minister Costa's ruling:

"because conflict or deadly fighting or the suicide of some Indians who do

not want to leave our land could happen. Because on our land where we are

the rancher only grazes cattle and our people are forced to the outskirts

of the city of Juti, hungry, without a house to live in or place to work."

International pressure could play a pivotal role in preventing the eviction

and possible suicide of the community of Jarara. Please write to Minister

Costa, urging him to reconsider his ruling, and to Minister of Justice

Nelson Jobim, expressing your concern.

Ministro da Justica Nelson Jobim

Esplanada dos Ministerios, Bl. T

Brasilia, DF - CEP: 70.064-900

BRAZIL

E-mail:njobim@ax.apc.org

Also, if you can, please send a fax to:

Minister Theotonio Costa

Ministro do Tribunal Regional Federal

Fax: 011-55-11-605-0496

###RELAYED TEXT ENDS###

You are encouraged to utilize this information for personal campaign use;

including writing letters, organizing campaigns and forwarding. All

efforts are made to provide accurate, timely pieces; though ultimate

responsibility for verifying all information rests with the reader. Check

out our Gaia Forest Conservation Archives at URL=

http://forests.org/gaia.html

Networked by:

Ecological Enterprises

Email (best way to contact)-> gbarry@forests.org