Mobilized from April 5 to 14, 2022, indigenous peoples from Roraima were in the square of the Civic Center of Boa Vista at the 3rd Free Land Camp, with the theme "Taking back Brazil: Demarcating the Territory and allocating politics". Throughout the mobilization, the peoples asked for respect and took a stand in defense of territorial rights.
Leaders of the Macuxi, Wapichana, Wai Wai, Yanomami, Patamona, Sapará, Taurepang, Ingarikó, Xirixana peoples, belonging to the Alto Cauamé, Amajarí, Baixo Cotingo, Murupú, Tabaio, Raposa, São Marcos, Serras, Serra da Lua, Surumú, Wai Wai and Yanomami peoples mobilized to demand the Brazilian state on the violations of the constitutional rights of indigenous peoples. The peaceful act is on the agenda of the regions in allusion to the indigenous April.
Topics such as indigenous school education and health were debated, and documents were filed with the MPF, Funai, DSEI and other public agencies. The leaders reaffirmed their position against any anti-indigenous agenda, "NO TO PL 490, NO TO THE TIME FRAME" and repudiated the Bolsonaro government's project that has encouraged invasions of indigenous territories and has been articulating the approval of Bill 191/2020, which is being processed as a matter of urgency in the Federal Chamber.
The Indigenous Movement of Roraima is the only one in Brazil to promote the Free Land Camp following the agenda of the national ATL that took place in Brasilia. During all the days of mobilization, indigenous peoples held demonstrations in various parts of the city.
The most striking moment was the historic act carried out by indigenous women, where they showed their strength and courage by pouring red annatto paint into the waters of the monument to the miner, representing death, mercury pollution and the indigenous blood that is spilled because of mining, especially in the Yanomami Indigenous Land.
Acts also took place at the Government Palace, the National Indian Foundation, the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office, the State Department of Education, the Legislative Assembly, the Special Indigenous Sanitary District – East, as well as at the DSEI-Yanomami.
In an Open Letter to society, the indigenous peoples mentioned that they retook the city of Boa Vista, which is a territory of their ancestors, to denounce the violation of rights, the invasion of indigenous lands that has increased with the encouragement of federal authorities.
Leaders at the headquarters of Funai - RR
Photo: ASCOM CIR
"We fought for advances in Brazilian democracy, and even when our rights were attacked in every way, we never resorted to violence, but acted with wisdom and respect. Today, once again, we are being heavily massacred. They want to exterminate us," reads an excerpt from the letter.
The leaders are concerned, as they fight for the life of the communities, and for mother earth, to ensure the good living of all peoples. Who suffer a lot in the State of Roraima, where the authorities have declared themselves anti-indigenous, turning society against the original peoples.
Act against Mining on Indigenous Lands
Photo: ASCOM CIR
Roraima has the largest indigenous population in the country and 36 indigenous lands are inhabited, with their cultures, values, preservation of the environment and sacred places. For indigenous peoples, territory is life. The Brazilian state has a constitutional duty to demarcate lands and ensure respect for all indigenous peoples' assets. It is the State's obligation to protect territories.
"We, indigenous peoples, repudiate the setbacks of public agencies that have an obligation to apply the duty of public policies to indigenous peoples, such as FUNAI AND SESAI, DIEI. We repudiate the emptying of the agencies that were usurped by the ideology of the genocidal government and that has been silent in the face of several crimes that attack indigenous peoples: IBAMA, ICMBIO, PF. We repudiate the dismantling of Public Universities and Federal Institutes, which has mainly harmed the permanence of indigenous academics," says another excerpt from the document.
Indigenous Movement protests in front of the Legislative Assembly of RR
Photo: ASCOM CIR
Leaders are also concerned about Bills 191/2020 and 490/2007. In addition to the Time Frame Thesis, the Bem Querer HPP and Serra da Lua Thermoelectric Power Plants. These are proposals that put at risk not only the lives of indigenous peoples, but of the entire population. That feed the destruction of forests, farms, the pollution of rivers, streams and lakes. In addition to harming subsistence production and livestock and threatening the very existence of indigenous peoples.
In another part of the Letter, the indigenous peoples say: "We want to express our support for our Yanomami, Yekuana, Waimiri - Atroari relatives who are being attacked every day and who are forgotten by the Brazilian State. Genocide is happening and the Government continues to encourage illegal mining in indigenous lands. Gold, soybeans, energy have indigenous blood spilled. We do not want our sons and daughters to suffer rape and sexual exploitation, forced labor, violence."
The Open Letter of the 3rd Free Land Camp ends by saying: "We will continue to defend our lives. It has been more than 522 years of resistance. ATL has been a space of struggle for 18 years in Brasilia, and for three years in Roraima. It is a peaceful and legitimate mobilization to fight for our rights. We require the support of the whole society for the protection of indigenous peoples in Brazil. We demand that the Brazilian State work for the good living of our communities, not for our death. Our rights are not a commodity. We are not going to negotiate any centimeter of our territories."
Projection via Conexão Puxirum against PL 191/2020 Illegal mining
Photos: Ana Lucia Montel/ Fred Eduardo Parente / Resist Productions