More than six dozen indigenous people from the Guarani Kaiowá Y'poí in Brazil have effectively been turned into prisoners on their land.
According to the Indigenist Missionary Council (Conselho Indigenista Mission, CIMI), four weeks ago a group of gunmen hired by local landowners surrounded the Guarani, who set up a camp in April on a small portion of their ancestral land.
Since the Guarani--80 men, women and children in all--were surrounded, they have been forbidden to leave the camp. This has severely limited their access to food, water, education and health services.
Despite several local, national and international pleas for assistance, so far the government has refused to come to the Indigenous People's aid, citing "security concerns."
UPDATE: Amnesty International has started a letter campaign for the Guarani. You can sign it here: http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/siteapps/advocacy/index.aspx?c=jhKPIXPCIoE&b=2590179&template=x.ascx&action=14723
Urgent Action Needed For Guarani Kaiowá Y'poí Community In Brazil: Gunmen Threaten Community
Original article in Portugese. Translated article c/o indigenouspeoplesissues.com
About 80 members of the indigenous Guarani Kaiowá Y'poí in Brazil are being threatened by gunmen hired by local landowners. They are prevented from leaving their camp, resulting in lack of access to water, food, education and health.
The group claiming reoccupied farms as part of their ancestral lands near Paranhos, Brazil, in April. They are surrounded by gunmen hired by local farmers, who continually threaten them and shots have been fired into the air overnight. They are also prevented from leaving their camp. That left them in an emergency, without access to water, food, education and health.
The National Health Foundation for Indigenous People (FUNASA) not taken steps to provide care to the community, citing lack of security. The children of the community are getting sick due to lack of medical assistance and water and weather that is too dry. The community reported their case to the Federal Public Ministry, the National Indian Foundation (FUNAI) and the police state, but no action was taken until now.
Previously, the Guarani-Kaiowá Y'poí community was violently evicted from their ancestral lands, in October 2009. During the expulsion, community members said they saw Vera Genivaldo being taken away by gunmen and his cousin Vera Rolindo fleeing into the forest. Genivaldo Vera's body was found in a nearby river a few days later. His head had been shaved and his body showed many injuries. Rolindo Vera's whereabouts remain unknown. After more than 300 days Rolindo's family continues to hope that the federal police tell them what happened to him or to bring her body. The community wants to look for Rolindo but are prevented from leaving the camp.
PLEASE WRITE NO DELAY in Portuguese or in your language:
- Asking the authorities to ensure community safety and ensure they have access to food, water, health care and they can move freely.
- Urging the authorities to ensure that FUNASA and the Federal Police to visit the site and arrange for appropriate care for the community.
- Requesting that the Federal Police complete investigation into the death of Vera and Genivaldo on the whereabouts of Rolindo Vera and that those responsible be brought to justice.
- Urging the authorities to comply fully with its obligations under Convention 169 of International Labour Organisation, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Brazilian Constitution, completing the demarcation of all Indian lands.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE THE 22 OCTOBER 2010 FOR:
Minister of Justice
Hon. Minister
Luiz Paulo Teles Ferreira Barreto
Esplanada dos Ministerios,
Block "T"
70712-902 - Brasília / DF Brazil
Fax: 55 61 3322 6817 / 3224 3398
Treatment: Dear Minister
Special Secretary for Human Rights
Special Secretariat for Human Rights
Hon. Special Secretary
Mr. Paul of Tarsus Vannuchi Esplanada dos Ministerios-
Bloco T - 4 º andar, 70064-900 Brasilia / DF Brazil
Fax: 55 61 3226 7980
Treatment: Dear Mr. Secretary
And copies to:
Indigenous Missionary Council, (CIMI - local NGO)
CIMI Regional Mato Grosso do Sul
Av Afonso Pena, 1557 Room 208 Bl.B
79002-070 Campo Grande, Brazil
Email: cimims@terra.com.br
The Guarani are a group of culturally-related indigenous peoples living in several different states, including Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Uruguay. The Guarani's overall population is... 
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I thought that the intervention that had taken place out there had worked no wonder they had such bad luck in Brazil this last summer.No it would be wise for the leader of Brazil to take matters into his own hands and stand up for these poor tribal people lest their bad luck continues in Brazil.For as long as such injustices take place their bad luck won’t change.
printed abroad but not here…”Brazilian city in chaos as mayor and 27 others accused of corruption are arrested in dawn raids”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1308300/Brazils-Dourados-mayor-27-accused-corruption-arrested.html
These are the business leaders pushing for agribusiness – sugar cane, cattle, etc who deny the Constitutional rights of the Kaiowá Guarani…
03/09/2010 – Federal Court orders continuation of land demarcation
http://www.cimi.org.br/?system=news&eid=405
That is awesome. Thanks for the heads up, Annie. I know there was some anti-corruption legislation passed there a couple months back, but I think it was just concerning the election.
And now with this, well, at least the gov’s trying to clear things up. That’s alot more than we can say for every other government in the world., lol
Now if only they’d step up for the Guarani.
Letters and prayers are of tremendous value on a continuing basis. Guarani = restoration of teko/tekhoá = good for mother earth = good for everyone (down to the smallest bug)
Sept 15
Advance text of UN Special Rapporteur James Anaya cites situation of the Kaiowá Guarani – section VII, sections 60-64
Observations of the Special Rapporteur
63. The Special Rapporteur regrets that there is no record of a reply to his communication from the Government of Brazil in the files of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the time of finalization of this report. The Special Rapporteur notes that he had requested a response within 60 days of his communication, which lapsed 15 May 2010.
64. The Special Rapporteur is deeply concerned about the allegations of violence against the Guarani people and the severe impact that the aggressive policy of governments in the past to sell large tracts of traditional lands to non-indigenous farmers has had on the Guarani communities. As stated in his 2009 report on the situation of indigenous peoples in Brazil (A/HRC/12/24/Add.2, para. 46), this past policy perpetuated the Guaraní’s deprivation of their traditional lands and deprived them of adequate means of subsistence. Despite various government initiatives to address the situation of Guarani people in Mato Grosso du Sul, dire conditions among them have persisted, as observed in that report. The Special Rapporteur will continue to monitor closely the situation of the indigenous people in Mato Grosso do Sul, and he would appreciate a response from the Government of Brazil to his 15 March 2010 letter and an update on the situation.
Link to full text of advance text Sept 15, 2010 Report by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, James Anaya:
http://unsr.jamesanaya.org/PDFs/Communications%20report-FINAL.pdf