Brazilian indigenous movements are guarding high.
Leaders and representatives of 45 villages in the country concluded on Friday a four-day meeting in which they denounced the government of President Jair Bolsonaro for carrying out what they described as “a project of genocide, ethnocide and ecocide.”
They also rejected an official bill that would allow, if approved, to advance the economic exploitation of indigenous lands, even without the approval of the communities. The government has not yet submitted to Congress the project, which responds to a campaign promise from the president.
“The government’s threats are promoting violence against indigenous peoples, the assassination of leaders and the invasion of land,” says the document entitled “Manifesto of Piaraçu”, named after a village in the state of Mato Grosso where the meeting was held.
According to the local press, the government project seeks to authorize economic exploitation in indigenous areas, such as the possibility of building hydroelectric plants, extracting oil and gas and promoting tourism and agriculture.
The right-wing president – who has said that the Indians are “poor landowners on rich lands” – believes that economic development is hampered by the protection of much of the Brazilian territories and reserves.
So far it is unknown when the project will be sent, officials in the presidential communication advisory told The Associated Press, but the indigenous people have promised to resist any progress on their lands. “We have to prepare ourselves to face not only the government, but also react to the violence of some sectors of society that express racism very clearly,” they said.
The meeting in Mato Grosso was chaired by Chief Raoni, a leader who has gained notoriety for his criticism of the government’s environmental and indigenist policy and who raised his profile by becoming the target of some critics of Bolsonaro.
Last May, French President Emmanuel Macron received Raoni after a G7 summit and pledged to support his fight against Amazon deforestation and forest fires.
Bolsonaro has tried to minimize the legitimacy of Raoni, by ensuring that it is “a citizen, but each town has its chieftain.”
The press office of the Presidency did not respond at the moment to requests for comments on the indigenous event.
Environmental and indigenous representatives have initiated a campaign for the chief to be considered to receive the Nobel Peace Prize 2020 for his “fight for indigenous rights and for the preservation of the Amazon.”
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