The indigenous organizations that sign below express their repudiation of the appointment of LARÍ GOMES, Military, published through Ordinance No. 677, of June 17, 2020 in the Official Gazette of the Union to hold the position of Roraima Regional Coordinator of the National Indian Foundation – FUNAI.
The appointment took place without demonstrating the capacity to hold the position, and was announced without the prior, free and informed consultation of the indigenous peoples of Roraima, as provided for in ILO Convention 169, which guarantees that indigenous peoples are consulted whenever legislative or administrative measures are envisaged that may affect them directly or indirectly.
To occupy the position of coordinator of FUNAI, it is necessary to meet technical criteria and proven experience of working with public management, especially with indigenous peoples, which is not demonstrated in the case of Mr. Lari Gomes.
The appointment of a person unrelated to the indigenous issue puts the physical and cultural survival of the indigenous peoples of Roraima at risk.
From the outset, we reject any individual or even group initiatives that may express support for the aforementioned appointment, and we demand respect for the memory of our ancestors who gave their lives to achieve the recognition of our rights in the Federal Constitution of 1988 and of our leaders who day by day fall in the defense and enforcement of rights.
Therefore, we express our most vehement repudiation of the appointment of Mr. Lari Gomes and reaffirm that we are totally against the militarization and the ongoing dismantling of the National Indian Foundation (Funai) to meet the wishes of the ruralist caucuses, especially those who supported the current president of the republic.
We want to be consulted on the appointment of the FUNAI Coordinator of Roraima, and in respect for our traditional collective decision-making mechanisms, and we demand that the position be occupied by a person with experience and technical qualifications for the position.
Finally, it calls on all peoples, in all regions, to remain vigilant against setbacks, the denial of rights, which threaten our ethnic diversity, our existence and our original right to our traditional lands.
Boa Vista-RR, August 28, 2020.
Sign:
1. Hutukara Yanomami Association – HAY;
2. Association of Indigenous Peoples of the São Marcos Indigenous Land – APITSM;
3. Indigenous Council of Roraima – CIR;
4. Organization of Indigenous Women of Roraima – OMIRR;
5. Organization of Indigenous Teachers of Roraima – OPIRR.