The legal team of the Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR), responding to an invitation from indigenous leaders of the Serras region in the Raposa Serra do Sol Indigenous Territory, participated in a regional meeting this Tuesday, the 11th, held in the Maturuca community, to discuss the installation of internet and rural electrification in indigenous communities. The CIR's legal advisor, Ivo Makuxi, and the anthropologist, Emerson Rodrigues, participated in the meeting.
The concern among community leaders arose due to an announcement by a former senator who allocated a parliamentary amendment of 15 million reais for rural electrification in indigenous communities in the region. In a video circulating on social media, the senator claims that the allocation was "agreed upon with local organizations."
On March 30th, the regional coordination of the Tuxauas published a statement of repudiation against the former senator's remarks. "Once again, the former senator demonstrates a complete lack of knowledge about our constitutional rights. And he preaches hatred and disrespect against our traditional leaders. He lied when he stated that the allocation of the amendment 'was agreed upon with local organizations'," reads part of the statement.
The region also requested respect for its leaders and constitutional rights, as well as information and clarification about the project. "It is our right to know how the project is being implemented; we want to participate in the construction of public policies for the communities, not in the way the former senator envisions."
At the meeting, which took place over two days, the 10th and 11th, the leaders invited, in addition to the CIR's legal counsel, representatives from the companies responsible for the services. Despite the invitations, they did not attend.
Invited to the meeting, the mayor of Uiramutã, Tuxaua Benísio, and councilman Gedeão, stated that they would accept the communities' decision and maintain dialogue with the indigenous leaders.
Legal advisor Ivo Makuxi, while analyzing the case with the indigenous communities, reinforced the communities' right to be consulted. "Indigenous communities have the right to be consulted about any project that may impact them; this is a right enshrined in the constitution and in ILO Convention 169," he emphasized.
As a result of the meeting, the region drafted a new letter with proposals for compensation and also repudiating the companies' absence. They emphasized that if there is no consultation and their demands are not met, the works will be halted.
“We ask that our decisions be respected; our decisions are made collectively during the assembly, which is a legitimate space for deliberation on major projects. We want to participate in the development of projects that may impact our territory, our lives, our culture, and our communities. We do not want projects to be implemented without us being heard,” says an excerpt from the statement.
The organization will monitor the case to ensure that the communities are heard and their demands are met. There are proposals for alternative energy generation that cause less impact on the environment; one was even presented to the President of the Republic, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, during the General Assembly of Indigenous Peoples, which took place in March 2023.
Source: Information and images from the Legal Department.