Planned for the week between Sept. 30 and Oct. 5 2013, the National Indigenous Mobilization will promote events at various locations around the country. There are confirmed events in at least four capitals (Brasilia, São Paulo, Belém and Rio Branco), and in cities in the interior (see schedule below).
The mobilization was convened by the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) to defend the Constitution, the rights of indigenous and traditional peoples and the environment (read the convocation). On October 5, the Brazilian Constitution will be 25 years old.
The objective is to protest against the widespread attack on territorial rights of these populations [by] the government, the ruralist (agribusiness) caucus in Congress and the lobby for the large mining and energy companies. Even after the protests of April this year, when hundreds of indigenous people occupied the House floor and the front esplanade of the Presidential Palace, [there have been continued attempts to destroy] Article 231 of the Constitution, which assures the rights of the indigenous peoples over their lands.
Hundreds of projects proceed through Congress to restrict the rights of indigenous populations, quilombolas and other traditional populations over their lands, in addition to attempting to prevent the creation of conservation units. Among these are the Proposed Constitutional Amendments (PECs) 215/2000 and 38/1999, the Supplementary Law Bill (PLP) 227/2012 and the bill for Public Law (PL) 1.610/1996.
The government of Dilma Rousseff has the worst performance in the demarcation of Indigenous Lands (TIs- Terras Indigenas) since the re-democratization. Even so, she intends to make it even more difficult to create new areas with changes in demarcation processes. The ministerial order Portaria 303 of the Attorney-General (AGU) also drastically restricts indigenous territorial rights. At the same time, the federal government continues financing, with billions of reals, the agricultural model based on the latifundio (large-scale estate holdings), which concentrates income and land, employs few and abuses agrotoxins, drives off the land the rural workers, peasants, indigenous and traditional populations.
The National Indigenous Mobilization is supported by indigenous and indigenist (indigenous rights advocacy) organizations, such as the Socio-Environmental Institute (ISA), the Indigenous Missionary Council (CIMI) and the Center for Indigenous Work (CTI), but also by other social movements and civil society organizations, like Greenpeace, the National Coordination of Quilombolas Communities (Conaq) and Free Pass Movement [public transport] (MPL).
Find out more: http://mobilizacaonacionalindigena.wordpress.com/
National program of events already confirmed
Tuesday, Oct 1 at 16:00 – Public Action in front of the National Congress, Brasília (DF – Federal District)
Wednesday, Oct 2 at 17:00 – Public Action in front of the MASP, Av. Paulista, São Paulo (SP)
Wednesday, Oct.2 at 18:00 – Public Action at the Metropolitan University School of Amazônia (Famaz), Av. Visconde de Souza Franco, No. 72, Bairro Reduto (Doca), Belém (PA)
Wednesday, Oct. 2 – Meeting of the Indigenous Peoples of Roraima embraces Roraima and the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Constitution, Sabiá community, municipality of Pacaraima
Thursday, Oct. 3 at 8:00 am – March of Resistance of the Tapeba and other indigenous peoples of Ceará, gathering in the main plaza of Caucaia, metropolitan region of Fortaleza (CE)
Friday, Oct. 4 at 8:00 am – Gathering in front of the House of Indigenous Peoples, the former Kaxinawa Space, Av. Ceará, Central Plaza, Rio Branco (AC)
Schedule of events in Brasilia (some events to be confirmed)
Tuesday 01/10:
- Press conference at 16:00, in front of Congress.
- Action on Indigenous Rights and articulations in Congress, from 16:00
- Meeting with the Parliamentary Front of Support to indigenous peoples and the Parliamentary Front on Human Rights.
- Meeting with representatives of the Ruralist Caucus.
- Audience with presidents of the Senate and House.
Wednesday, 02/10:
- Public Hearing on the 25 years of the Federal Constitution and indigenous rights, in the House.
- Installation of indigenous affairs subcommittee of the Committee on Participatory Legislation (CLP) in the House.
Thursday, 03/10:
- Articulations, Hearings and Meetings in different jurisdictions of the Executive Branch (Presidency of the Republic, Ministries, Autarchies and Others).
Friday 04/10:
- Visits and audiences in the Supreme Court and the National Council of Justice.
Press office
In Brasília
Renato Santana (CIMI): (61) 9979-6912 / renato.renato25 @ gmail.com
Patricia Bonilha (CIMI): (61) 8138-7730 / bonilhapatricia@gmail.com
Nathália Clark (Greenpeace): (61) 9642-7153 / nathalia.clark @ greenpeace.org
Helena Ladeira (CTI): (11) 9739-4912 9 / helena@trabalhoindigenista.org.br
Oswaldo Braga de Souza (ISA): (61) 9103-2127 / oswaldo@socioambiental.org
In São Paulo
Maria Ines Zanchetta (ISA): (11) 3515-8969 / ines@socioambiental.org
In Belém (PA)
Bianca Pyl (Pro-Indian Commission SP) – (11) 9 9969 2719 / bianca@cpisp.org.br
More information:
http://mobilizacaonacionalindigena.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/events/420277334743043/?fref=ts