Open letter calls justice for the murder of Angelita Yanomami

Bianca Diniz – From Cenarium Magazine

BOA VISTA (RR) – The Women’s Center of Roraima (Numur), with the support of 50 organizations, issued an open letter on Friday, 2, after the murder of translator and interpreter Angelita Proporita Yanomami. The document calls on the authorities to carry out a full investigation into the murder in search of justice for the case.

The nucleus paid solidarity to Angelita’s family members. “We are in solidarity with the family and the entire Yanomami people for the untimely death of their daughter Angelita Proporita, an indigenous woman of only 35 years of age, mother of three children, one girl and two boys, a worker for life and the rights of women and her people. May she be guided by Omana, in her passing, to dwell on the shores of heaven and join the bores”, the group declared.

In a note, the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples (MPI) highlighted Angelita’s professional career at the Casa de Saúde Indígena (Casai) and at the maternity hospital Nossa Senhora de Nazaré. In addition, the MPI stressed that the young woman was a fighter for indigenous rights against the invasion of miners in the Yanomami region. “We ask that no image of Angelita be disseminated on social networks,” the note added.

Connection between violence and political scenario

According to Numur, there is a connection between the violence perpetrated in indigenous communities and the current national political scenario. The nucleus emphasizes that the approval of the Temporal Framework thesis would represent the legalization of violence against indigenous peoples.

“Invaders continue on Yanomami lands imposing violence and insecurity to the lives of women and their people. In the city, women are exposed to violence and have their lives taken. Meanwhile, a conservative Congress wants to impose more violence, to indigenous people, with the Temporal Framework and, in Roraima, the state government and other politicians are widely known for being contrary to indigenous rights,” points out the core.

Vulnerability in evidence

The Arns Commission for the Defense of Human Rights highlighted its repudiation of the murder of Angelita Yanomami and the generalized violence affecting the Yanomami people. With the invasion of land by thousands of miners and, more recently, as the whole world has witnessed, by the situation of hunger and poverty that surrounds several of their communities,” stated the commission.

According to Arns, after the death of the indigenous woman, the situation of vulnerability that affects the indigenous peoples of the state of Roraima becomes more evident. “Indigenous peoples are victims of the deforestation of the protection and inspection bodies in their territories, as well as the cuts in health care programs for the communities, promoted by the previous government”, concluded the commission.

Read the open letter: