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The pec-215 amendment dedicated to destroying indigenous peoples by seizing their land has been repelled by international mobilization.

Although members of Brazilian Congress had announced the withdrawal of this amendment, the return of this proposition is not only treasonous but would also lead to a legal way of committing genocide against indigenous peoples of the Amazon.

Click here to read full explanation by the spokesperson of the Articulation of Brazilian Indigenous People (APIB)’s spokesperson, Sonia Guajajara: http://raoni.com/actualites-773.php

Thanks to your financial contributions, we have organized the Caciques’ and their companions’ trip to Brazilia, so they could defend their cause directly in the institutions of political power.

You have been several hundreds to write about how outraged you were to the Brazilian authorities (President, chamber of Deputies and Senate).

Here is an excerpt of the call we posted on social networks: “indigenous peoples’ rights are engraved in the constitution of 1988. Preeminent leaders of the Brazilian agro-business, some individuals also belonging to the higher institutions of power, are arguing in favor of modifying these fundamental rights, which constitute indigenous peoples’ main legal defense today.

On Tuesday December 16th, a vote has been proposed. The logic behind this act is “produce more to export more”. As consumers, we take part in this infernal cycle of production and death. The media have been contacted, but none have reacted. Please send your messages of protest to Brazilian authorities now."

International mobilization has taken root thanks to the support from various other organizations. The PEC-215 amendment was finally rejected.

We would like to thank all of those who participated in this campaign and contacted Brazilian authorities for this cause. The postponement of the proposition is also your victory. This is however only a temporary victory, as the decision may only be “postponed”: since the proposition of the amendment has been classified in the “archives”, it could reappear under a different name at a different time.

We also propose, as a means of conclusion, this declaration from the APIB (Articulation of Brazilian Indigenous Peoples). Some of you may know its coordinator, Sonia Guajajara, from our protests in last March.

 

 

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Letter of thanks for the defense of indigenous peoples’ rights

Source: racismoambiental.net.br

To all allies of indigenous peoples from Brazil and the rest of the world.

The Articulation of Brazilian Indigenous Peoples (ABIP) and indigenous leaders rallied from December 15th to 19th against the abolition of indigenous – and especially territorial – rights, a legislative aberration mainly orchestrated by the ruralist group in the National Congress. We want, by this letter, to express our deep gratitude to all allies of the Indigenous cause in Brazil and in the rest of the world: indigenous, socio-environmental and human rights entities, social movements and organizations, academic institutions, political parties, parliamentarians and other initiatives (among which individual initiatives). This December, they all united with us and contributed in the most varied ways to the defense of our seriously threatened rights.

What happened during this week proved that only well articulated struggling, rallying and pressuring can enable us to prevent the forces of capital, of hegemonic classes, of repression, and of other state entities, from imposing their will against the Democratic Rule of Law, the democratic regime and Brazil’s multi-ethnical and multicultural nature. 

Indigenous peoples have proved that, even if they have to sacrifice their own lives, they will never allow the re-colonization, usurpation and spoliation of their territories to be carried out for the benefit of the mining and hydrocarbons industry, of agro-business and neo-developmentalism defended by the elites and the current government. It would only favor profit, accumulation of wealth and intensified consumption of a few: descendants of invaders and of the authoritarian regime, representatives and accomplices of great transnational corporations.

Undoubtedly, making PEC215/2000 and PLS/N – by Senator Romero Jucá, who was trying to regulate article 231 paragraph 6 of the Federal Constitution, as well as PL/7735/2014 about gene pool – impracticable constitutes a victory. We must not forget, however, that in 2015, with an even more conservative Congress and with a government still siding with the dominants, challenges remain. It is enough reason for us to express our thanks, to call for our peoples, the organizations and leaders, as well as all of our allies, to stay watchful and prepare for other, even more important fights. They will be rooted in our spirituality and our worldview, in defense of life, our dignity and our sacred right to our land, for the good of current and future generations, Brazilian society and mankind as a whole.

We ask all of you to carry on getting into action and manage to obtain the definitive release of imprisoned indigenous leaders, wrongly accused of attempted murder when, just like all of us, they were demonstrating – as is their legitimate right –, fighting for a just cause. This was acknowledged by the Brasilia Jury Tribunal’s judge who conceded temporary freedom to leaders Alessandro Miranda Marques / Terena, Cleriston Teles Sousa / Tupinambá and Itucuri Santos Santana / Pataxó.

In this decision, the judge states: “I certify that the imprisonments cannot be maintained. It has to be acknowledged that the facts occurred in the context of the legitimate exercise of the right to demonstrate, the right to speak, the right to take part in the public sphere and in the political deciding process, central pillars that underpin Democratic Rule of Law… The subjects concerned were seeking to exercise their right to defend their interests through demonstrating, protest movements, and questioning a society that, in their vision, positions itself against them through its representatives…" 

In order to achieve a truly democratic, fair and pluralist State, we will carry on being together and united to defend the Federal Constitution and the territorial rights of indigenous peoples, quilombolas, other rural populations and Mother Earth.

Brasilia, Federal District, December 19th, 2014
Articulation of Brazilian Indigenous Peoples – ABIP
National Indigenous Mobilization

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© racismoambiental.net.br - translated by Shauna Bernier O'Donnell / original article