Rondônia creates week of the struggle and indigenous diversity; leaders evaluate practical gains of the measure

Iury Lima – Cenarium Magazine

VILHENA (RO) – Now it is law: the traditions, beliefs and indigenous diversity of Rondônia will be celebrated as part of the official calendar of the State, starting in 2023, in the so-called Cultural Week of Indigenous Peoples. A laudable initiative, in the evaluation of leaders and experts in the area. On the other hand, they are unanimous in saying that there is still much to be done to, in fact, protect and preserve the existence of the more than 50 ethnic groups that inhabit the State.

The commemorations, considered positive but “superficial” due to the historical context of one of the Amazonian states that most devastates the forest, with the backing of politicians – consequently plotting against the people themselves – are scheduled to take place once a year, starting on April 18, one day before the date on which the Day of the Indigenous Peoples is celebrated. This is Law No. 5452/22, approved by the Legislative Assembly (ALE-RO) and sanctioned by the deputy governor, José Jodan, this week.

While this is one more step towards respect and the breaking down of prejudice, the publication of the text is overshadowed by a tragic event, reflected as a clear demonstration of omission, negligence and neglect by the state and federal governments: the genocide of an entire native population of the Brazilian Amazon, the isolated indigenous people of the Tanaru territory, who lived in the south of Rondonia, consummated about three months ago with the death of its last remaining inhabitant, the man known as the ‘Indian of the Hole’.

Cultural Week

The Rondônia government defends that, with the new law, an agenda of debates on the valorisation of the indigenous person is created. In addition to valuing ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity, it lists the following objectives:

• Recognition of their contributions to society;

• Aspects of indigenous culture, cuisine and language;

• Production of knowledge, attitudes, postures and values which ensure respect for the history and culture of indigenous peoples;

• Reflecting critically on the historical conditions of indigenous peoples;

• Dissemination of the confrontations about indigenous lands;

• Deconstruction of prejudices about indigenous peoples; and

• Strengthening the real significance of indigenous peoples in shaping and influencing the history of our region.

‘Surprising, but superficial’

All of this is important, in the assessment of environmental and indigenous law specialist Ramires Andrade, who is also a lawyer with the Brazilian Indigenous Parliament (Parlaíndio). He says that he sees “with good eyes” the creation of the law, but does not hesitate to say that he was surprised, considering, precisely, the history of ethnic and environmental setbacks imposed by the Coronel Marcos Rocha (Union) administration, in the last four years, at the head of Rondônia – now, re-elected for a new term.

“It is an interesting initiative, yes, it is important for the valorisation of the peoples”, defends Andrade. “But it needs to be observed with more caution and depth”, he warned in an interview with the CENARIUM MAGAZINE.

Who agrees with the lawyer of the Parlaíndio is the cacique André Karipuna, leader of one of the ethnic groups that originally inhabits the State of Rondônia. In his opinion, the legal provision “helps”, but is only superficial.

“This law is good, but much more needs to be done. This law will not reduce the prejudice that we, the indigenous peoples of Brazil, suffer, because some people who do not know us have another look at us (…) it is not only about creating a date of appreciation, it is necessary to improve in several other contexts, in general”, the chief declared to the report.

André Karipuna stresses that the State should, more than creating a festive date, be more energetic in combating and punishing those who invade territories and disrespect the way of life of native populations, with prejudiced comments and attitudes.

Under the carpet

In 2021 alone, the governor of Rondônia gave three of his worst anti-environmental “canetadas” of his entire first term. He released gold mining in Madeira River, reduced almost 220 thousand hectares of two important Conservation Units (UCs) of the State and prohibited the destruction of machinery seized during inspections, especially in deforestation and mining. If it weren’t for Justice, the provisions would be in force until now.

“The case of Rondônia, particularly, deserves many considerations”, Lúcia Helena Rangel, PhD in Anthropology, who represents the Indigenous Missionary Council (Cimi), tells CENARIUM.

“At the very least, this [creation of the cultural week], is a way for the Rondônia government to prevaricate [turn its back], that is, to keep fooling around and saying that it protects, that it will hold a cultural week to recognise the importance of indigenous peoples, when this same government released a lot of registrations in the Rural Environmental Cadastre, When this same government is threatening the indigenous peoples with the construction of hydroelectric dams, finally”, condemns Rangel, who is also vice-coordinator of the Socio-Environmental Sciences course at the Social Sciences Faculty of the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP).

Read more: In an open letter, 23 leaders expose ‘neglect’ by the government of Rondonia with Amazon

According to the anthropologist, it is not with events that the government should do something for indigenous people, if it really wanted to. “It’s good. It’s great to value culture, to promote debates, cultural presentations. But this type of action does not solve any millimeter of all the problems that occur in the indigenous lands of Rondônia”, criticizes Lúcia Helena Rangel.

Read also: Agencies ignore Karipuna people after denunciation of squatting and wood theft, in Rondônia

Rangel cites the struggle of the Karipuna people as an example of more “emergency” demands that should be better addressed in Rondônia. Today, a single community, formed by less than 70 people, resists the invasions fuelled by the exploitation of gold, land and wood. “These people have been repeatedly harassed by loggers and miners and the Rondônia government takes no action (…) ah, they will say that this is a federal area. It’s hypocrisy, really”, states a doctor of anthropology.

With hope in the new Lula Government, Lúcia Helena expects more attention to be paid to guaranteeing the human rights of the native populations of Brazil. “The indigenous people are mobilized, they have a large and very serious agenda of demands and the indigenous people of Rondônia are demanding that their lands be ‘de-intruded’, as we say, that all loggers and miners who carry out illegal activities in the territories be expelled”, concludes the specialist.