The Indigenous Council of Roraima, on behalf of 246 communities and a population of more than 50 thousand indigenous people from the Macuxi, Wapichana, Patamona, Ingaricó, Taurepang, Wai Wai, Yanomami, Sapará, Serras, Surumu, Baixo Cotingo, Raposa, Murupu, Serra da Lua, Tabaio, Alto Cauamé, Amajari and Wai Wai ethnic regions, expresses support for the struggle and demand for dignified burials of the bodies of relatives who died as a result of the new coronavirus.
The burials of the victims have been carried out in the Boa Vista cemetery and often take place without the knowledge of the families, far from their communities and from everyone with whom they lived during their lives, which hurts the dignity of indigenous peoples.
An aggravating factor in the situation is that in many cases the communities did not even have access to information about the elaboration of protocols for the burials of indigenous people during this pandemic period. The CIR itself, as an institution for the defense and representation of the indigenous peoples of Roraima, was not informed that, if there were deaths of relatives due to Covid-19, the bodies would be buried in the cemetery of Boa Vista.
We know that the world is going through a public health emergency caused by the new coronavirus, but the state had a duty to inform indigenous peoples about the existence of this burial protocol, so that leaders could contribute to the specificities of each people.
The Constitution recognizes our form of social organization, culture, beliefs and traditions. In addition, Brazil signed ILO convention 169, which has a supra-legal character, and the indigenous rights provided for therein must be observed, especially the right to consultation when drafting health protocols.
Thus, the CIR emphasizes its position and demand that when indigenous deaths occur, the bodies should return to the communities, observing the health recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health (MS).
Therefore, we join forces and express our most unrestricted support to the Wai Wai and Yanomami relatives and to all the peoples who have lost their relatives and are fighting to take the bodies to their communities of origin because they have specific traditions regarding burial rituals.
Boa Vista, RR, August 4, 2020.
PDF-LETTER-OF-SUPPORT-FOR-HUMANIZED-BURIALS-DURING-THE-COVID-PANDEMIC (opens in new window)