Marcela Leiros – From Cenarium Magazine
MANAUS – Chief Raoni and 54 indigenous leaders released a manifesto this week warning about the impacts of climate change and citing the risks of approving the Temporal Framework. The document was delivered to the Minister of Indigenous Peoples, Sonia Guajajara, at the event “Call of Chief Raoni”, which brought together more than a thousand people in the village Piaraçu, in São José do Xingu, Mato Grosso, between July 24 and 28.
The manifesto cites a study by the Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM) that reveals that, with the Temporal Framework, more than 55 million hectares of native areas will be destroyed and 20 billion tons of CO2 will be emitted.
The Temporal Framework is the legal thesis that can redefine the criteria for demarcating indigenous lands in the country. According to it, indigenous peoples are only entitled to those territories that they already occupied – or claimed – on October 5, 1988, the date on which the current Federal Constitution of Brazil was promulgated.
Chief Raoni’s manifesto states that the application of the thesis would promote the exclusion of thousands of indigenous people, in addition to setting precedents for the invasion and exploitation of lands by economic interests. The document also warns that the Temporal Framework disregards the history and culture of indigenous peoples, in addition to violating international treaties to which Brazil is a signatory, such as the UN Declaration of Indigenous Peoples, Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization (ILO).
“By restricting the demarcation only to Indigenous Lands that were established before October 5, 1988, it ignores our memory and history by actions of colonizers, landowners and economic enterprises of forced displacements, violence, massacres and expulsions experienced in our traditional territories which resulted in irreparable losses to our cultures and way of life,” the document states.
Demands
Chief Raoni’s manifesto demands, among other things, that the Ministry of Justice take on the role of demarcating indigenous lands, giving priority to judicialized and at-risk territories, as well as guaranteeing the “immediate” disintrusion, as well as protection, monitoring and inspection, of all indigenous lands already demarcated and approved.
It also asks the government to respect and fulfill the right to Free, Prior and Informed Consultation in accordance with the Autonomous Protocols of Indigenous Peoples on all projects that affect their territories. “We want to be consulted in all its phases, from planning to avoid harassment, co-optation and generation of conflicts of interest among indigenous communities and that, like Belo Monte, have their conditions met with the impacted peoples”, he adds.
The document also calls for institutional strengthening and structuring for the bodies: Ministry of Indigenous Peoples (MPI); National Foundation of Indigenous Peoples (Funai); Brazilian Institute of Environment (Ibama); Chico Mendes Institute of Biodiversity (ICMBio); Federal Public Defender’s Office (DPU); Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPF); Special Secretariat for Indigenous Health (Sesai); and the creation of the Special Secretariat for Indigenous School Education in the Ministry of Education (MEC).
Read the full manifesto of Chief Raoni:
We, indigenous leaders, representatives of 54 Indigenous Peoples from the six Brazilian biomes, responding to the Call of Chief Raoni Metuktire, in the village Piaraçu Indigenous Land Kapot-Jarina, MT between July 24 and 28, 2023, demand from the Brazilian State a concrete position on Extraordinary Appeal 10.17365 / SC popularly called “Temporal Framework”, We are very concerned about the territorial situation not only of the indigenous peoples who inhabit the Amazon region, but also of the other regions of Brazil and the world.
The Temporal Landmark has an interpretation that disregards our historical and cultural reality, in addition to violating international treaties to which Brazil is a signatory, such as the UN Declaration of Indigenous Peoples, Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization (ILO), which guarantees free prior and informed consultation, in addition to affirming the government’s obligation to recognize and protect the traditional, cultural and spiritual values and practices of Indigenous Peoples. By restricting the demarcation only to Indigenous Lands that were established before October 5, 1988, it ignores our memory and history by actions of colonizers, landowners and economic enterprises of forced displacements, violence, massacres and expulsions experienced in our traditional territories which resulted in irreparable losses to our cultures and way of life.
For time immemorial, we Indigenous Peoples have been guardians of the forests, rivers, air and animals of the lands where our ancestors walked. These lands represent not only our home, but also our cultural identity, our traditions, science that have always existed in a joint and balanced way with nature. It is fundamental to understand that the possession of these lands is not only a material aspect, but an essential element for our existence.
The application of the Temporal Framework would result in the exclusion of thousands of indigenous people from our traditional territories, compromising our livelihoods, our way of being and our self-determination as Indigenous Peoples, violating our already guaranteed rights. In addition, it would set precedents for the invasion and exploitation of our lands by economic interests that affect not only us, but that according to research by IPAM, 55 million hectares of native areas will be destroyed and that 20 billion tons of CO2 will be emitted.
Given this reality, we demand from the three branches of government that:
The Ministry of Justice fulfills its role of demarcating Indigenous Lands, giving priority to Indigenous Lands that are judicialized and at risk, as for example in the case of the territories of the Guarani Kaiowá of Mato Grosso do Sul;
The immediate disintrusion of all Indigenous Lands already demarcated and homologated, not restricted only to those found in DPF 709, such as T.I Urubu Branco, T.I Rio dos Índios and many others that are in the same situation. We demand that the competent bodies comply with the legislation guaranteeing their protection, monitoring and inspection;
Permanent protection of our rights that are provided for in law and international treaties, of all Indigenous Lands regardless of the government that is at the head of the State;
Respect and fulfill the right to Prior, Free and Informed Consultation according to the Autonomous Protocols of Indigenous Peoples on all projects that affect their territories. We want to be consulted in all its phases, from planning to avoid harassment, co-optation and generation of conflicts of interest among indigenous communities and that, like Belo Monte, have their conditions met with the impacted peoples; That mining in the surroundings and within our territories respect all the rights of Indigenous Peoples and not be licensed before the construction and approval of the Environmental Base Plan of the Indigenous Component. We demand that the enterprises that have violated the legal licensing processes be embargoed and in the cases of authorized PBA, indigenous organizations must be the executors of these resources. We demand that all forms of mining be destroyed, the invaders expelled and their financiers held accountable. That Indigenous Peoples impacted by mercury exposure be guaranteed mass testing, access to health care and food security;
That any and all leasing or agricultural partnerships within our Indigenous Lands be condemned as unconstitutional and outside the model of cultural sustainability, strengthening agribusiness that causes destruction of our territories, internal conflicts, expulsions and deaths of our people. We demand that the tenant farmer, the person most responsible for the destruction of our territories, be punished in accordance with all the crimes committed; Indigenous peoples should be assured of knowledge and understanding of what the Carbon Market is in the Brazilian State and the impacts on our territories. The current negotiations in the carbon market must be annulled, as they do not respect the specificity and rights of indigenous peoples and the biodiversity of their territories. It is necessary to guarantee the participation of indigenous peoples from the six Brazilian biomes in the construction of fair legislation, obeying our original, constitutional and international rights;
Strengthen and structure institutionally, ensuring the expansion of the budget for the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples – MPI, the National Foundation of Indigenous Peoples – FUNAI, the Brazilian Institute of Environment – IBAMA; the Chico Mendes Institute of Biodiversity – ICMBio; the Public Defender of the Union – DPU; the Federal Public Ministry – MPF, the Special Secretariat for Indigenous Health – SESAI, and that the Special Secretariat for Indigenous School Education be created in the Ministry of Education – MEC;
Urgently hold competitions for FUNAI and SESAI civil servants to restructure the team that really acts in favor of the rights of indigenous peoples, guaranteeing vacancies for indigenous people;
The ordinances that affect our rights and that did not have due consultation, such as 60/2015, be revoked;
Public forests that are not destined for Indigenous Peoples should be allocated, according to the use and customs of each people.
We agree in part with Minister Alexandre de Moraes who recognizes the constitutional indigenous rights over our territories, but we disagree with the argument of compensation for bare land. We do not consider it fair to compensate people and companies who are responsible for the murder of our leaders and the massacre of our people who have historically fought for our territory. It is we who should be compensated for the years of violence experienced and for receiving a devastated land. It is worth noting that indigenous peoples are not opposed to the development of the Brazilian nation, on the contrary, we are willing to contribute with our perspectives, science and knowledge to the development of Brazil, as long as we are invited, consulted, heard and respected, especially when the State intends to implement works that affect our lands and our traditional way of life.
We demand that the Brazilian State respond to us by August 9, 2023, as a milestone of the International Day of Indigenous Peoples. Our ancestors have been warning for many years that the health of the earth is not our responsibility alone, it is everyone’s responsibility, if the sky falls, the earth burns and the waters rise, we will all die, there is no money that buys another planet.
The spirits of the earth are getting angry. How many manifestos, letters and protests will it take for you to take a humane action to protect the planet and future generations? We are not only talking about the lives of our peoples, we are also talking about their lives and their heirs, don’t you care?
Chief Raoni has already answered his call and when will you answer ours?
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