‘That the illegalities pointed out be vigorously repressed”, ask organizations in a technical note sent to the MPF-AM

Priscilla Peixoto – from Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS – Indigenous organizations and traditional populations, Operation Native Amazon (Opan), National Council of Extractive Populations (CNS) and Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon (Coiab) delivered a document to the Federal Public Ministry (MPF-AM) in which they present a technical legal note regarding the mining processes in the State of Amazonas.

The document recalls that the advance of mining in the State of Amazonas goes directly against the wishes of traditional communities and indigenous peoples. Preceding the technical information of the note, the text points out that the socio-environmental impacts of garimpo and mining are widely recognized both legally and scientifically in Brazil, and emphasizes that, after the arguments exposed, the illegalities should be “vigorously” repressed by judicial means and those involved punished.

Recommendations of the note

The legal technical note, signed by the institutions, recommends the “accountability of the mining cooperatives that are authors of the requests for mining activities in contiguous areas, in view of non-compliance with Ordinance No. 155, of May 12, 2016, issued by the Ministry of Mines and Energy / National Department of Mineral Production (MME/DNPM) and the absence of environmental studies capable of predicting the cumulative and synergistic impacts that arise from mineral exploration in such extensive areas”, the note informs.

The text also defends the “specific judicialization of the existence of productions in nearby areas in Amazonas” and environmental impact studies capable of covering the cumulative and synergic impacts of existing mining productions in the same hydrographic basin in the State.

The note also requests that the National Mining Agency (ANM) and the Environmental Protection Institute of Amazonas (IPAAM) be held responsible for, according to the organizations, acting in an “illegal” manner in relation to the overlapping of existing mining production in the Conservation Unit. “The position of these agents goes against the legislation and the principles of public administration”, says the letter.

In addition, the document asks for a specific legal action to be taken regarding the existence of mining activities in buffer zones of Indigenous Lands and suggests the creation of a working group focused on monitoring all the issues exposed in the text. Check out the full note.