[EMBARGOEDFOR:30March2005] Public amnestyinternational Brazil "Foreignersinourown country":IndigenousPeoples inBrazil AIIndex:AMR19/002/2005 INTERNATIONALSECRETARIAT,1EASTONSTREET,LONDONWC1X0DW,UNITEDKINGDOM [Embargoedfor:30March2005] Public amnestyinternational Brazil "Foreignersinourown country":IndigenousPeoples inBrazil Summary AIIndex:AMR19/002/2005 “…wearebeingtreatedlikeforeignersinourowncountry,andevenasathreatto sovereignty.Withthisthehopeofseeingourterritoriesdemarcatedandratifiedlittle bylittlehasbeensubstitutedbyfear.” “Wehearditsaidthatthepolicearecomingwithatractortodestroyeverything.We wouldliketoknowwhoisgoingtofeedourchildren…Wewouldliketoletthepolice knowwearenotleaving.Thisisfinal.Wearenotleavingthelandalive.” Both of these statements, that clearly demonstrate the fear and desperation felt by indigenous peoples in Brazil, were made in 2005. The first was made directly to Amnesty International by an internationally renowned Brazilian indigenous leader. The second was made publicly by the Guarani-Kaiowá community of Cerro MarangatuinMatoGrossodoSulstate,threatenedwithevictionfromtheirancestral home - land that already has been officially demarcated in their favour by the Braziliangovernment. Amnesty International has documented and campaigned against human rights violations committed against indigenous peoples in Brazil, their leaders and those who defend them, for many years. In 2005 they continue to be victims of attacks, killings and other forms of violence and discrimination, often committed with impunity. Successive Brazilian governments have failed to deliver on their internationalandconstitutionalobligationstofullyand finallyrecognise indigenous landrights.Worryingly,therehasalsobeenarecentgrowthincallsforareversalof manyofthegainswonbyIndiansinBrazilsincetheimplementationofthecountry’s 1988 constitution. For these reasons, Amnesty International is concerned that their safety,andeventheirfuturesurvival,isatrisk. For hundreds of years, indigenous peoples in Brazil have been violently driven off their landbythoseseekingtoclaim itswealth forthemselves.Today,thisviolence continueswiththeinvolvementofmanycompetingintereststhatincludebusinesses, prospectors, cattle ranchers, landowners, logging companies and the military. Such vestedinterestsoftenhavesubstantialeconomicandpoliticallobbyingpowerswhich theycanusetodelayandinterruptresolutionoflanddisputes. AIIndex:AMR19/002/2005 INTERNATIONALSECRETARIAT,1EASTONSTREET,LONDONWC1X0DW,UNITEDKINGDOM Overtheyears,indigenousleaderscampaigningtospeedupthetransferoflandhave suffereddeaththreats,violentattacksandkillings,withlittleornoprotectionfromthe State. Thecasesandsituationsdocumentedinthisreportrepresentdifferentexamplesofthe complexrealityfacedbyindigenouspeoplesinBraziltoday.Whatunitesthemisthat theyareallsituationsthathavearisenasaresultofmanydecadesofStateinaction. AmnestyInternationalisconcernedthatthecurrentBraziliangovernment,whichhas so far failed to implement a coherent strategy for resolving the problems faced by Brazilian Indians, is merely repeating and exacerbating the errors of the past. The organisation is calling on the Brazilian authorities to fulfil their constitutional and internationalobligationstoprotectIndiansandtheirland. Cover Photo: The son of Marcos Verón, Ava Taperendy’i, standing next to a memorialtohisfatherinTakuara,MatoGrossodoSul,August2004.AI KEYWORDS: Thisreportsummarizesa39-pagedocument(12,824words):Brazil,“Foreigners in ourowncountry”:IndigenousPeoplesinBrazilAIIndex:AMR19/002/2005issued by Amnesty International on 30 March 2005. Anyone wishing further details or to takeactiononthisissueshouldconsultthefulldocument.Anextensiverangeofour materials on this and other subjects is available at http://www.amnesty.org and AmnestyInternationalnewsreleasescanbereceivedbyemail: http://www.amnesty.org/email/email_updates.html INTERNATIONALSECRETARIAT,1EASTONSTREET,LONDONWC1X0DW,UNITEDKINGDOM 3 TABLEOFCONTENTS 1.Introduction ......................................................................................................... 1 2.Alegacyofbrokenpromises................................................................................ 2 The500thAnniversaryofexclusion..................................................................... 2 Newhopesforchange .......................................................................................... 3 Anupsurgeinviolence......................................................................................... 3 “IndianisLand”.................................................................................................. 5 Transferofland–alaboriousprocess................................................................ 6 LegislativeProposal188–threateningtoturntheclockbackwards ................ 8 3.Violenceandthestruggleforancestralland....................................................... 9 Destitutionandviolence:TheGuarani-Kaiowá ................................................. 9 TheKillingofMarcosVerón............................................................................. 11 Afinaldesperatecryforhelp:GuaraníSuicides ............................................. 13 RaposaSerradoSol:RatificationPostponed................................................... 15 4.ImpunityandInsecurity.................................................................................... 17 TheTikunaMassacre–StillWaitingforJustice ............................................. 17 Tragedyforewarned-TheCintaLarga ........................................................... 18 TheXukuruofPernambuco.............................................................................. 19 PreviousKillingsofXukuruLeaders................................................................ 20 Protectionofleadersatrisk:apersistentfailuretoreachasolution .............. 21 HarassmentofHumanRightsDefendersinPernambuco ............................... 22 Caughtbetween“CrocodilesandLions”-TheTruká..................................... 23 TheKillingofJosédeNóandNilsonFelix ....................................................... 23 AbandonedbytheState..................................................................................... 24 5.Conclusion.......................................................................................................... 25 6.Recommendations.............................................................................................. 25 General............................................................................................................... 25 Justice................................................................................................................. 25 Protection........................................................................................................... 26 ResolutionofLandDisputes.............................................................................. 26 APPENDIXI.......................................................................................................... 27 ExcerptsfromtheConstitutionoftheFederativeRepublicofBrazil,1988.... 27 APPENDIXII ........................................................................................................ 28 Convention(No.169)concerningIndigenousandTribalPeoplesin IndependentCountries ...................................................................................... 28 APPENDIXIII....................................................................................................... 30 ExcerptsfromtheCommitmenttotheIndigenousPeoplesofBrazil.Planfor Government2002,CoalitionLulaforPresident.(AmnestyInternational’s translation)......................................................................................................... 30 AIIndex:AMR19/002/2005 AmnestyInternational Brazil “ForeignersinOurOwnCountry”:Indigenous PeoplesinBrazil 1.Introduction Amnesty International has documented and campaigned against human rights violations committed against indigenous peoples in Brazil, their leaders and those whodefendthem,formanyyears.In2005,Indians1continuetobevictimsofattacks, killings and other forms of violence and discrimination, often committed with impunity. Successive governments have failed to deliver on their international and constitutionalobligationstofullyandfinallyrecogniseIndianlandrights.Worryingly, therehas beenarecentgrowth incalls forareversalof manyofthegainswonby Indians since the implementation of Brazil's 1988 constitution. The frustration of BrazilianIndianswasrecentlyshownbytheoccupationoftheAmazonheadquarters ofFUNAI,FundaçãoNacionaldoIndio,theNationalIndianFoundation,2inManaus inJanuary2005. AmnestyInternationalhasidentifiedseveralareasofconcernwherefailuretoactby theauthoritieshasexposedIndianstohumanrightsviolations.ThefailureofBrazilto guaranteetheirrighttoland,throughdemarcationandratificationofmanyindigenous territories, and the very slow process by which this is achieved when it does take place, has contributed to attacks on Indians, as well as aggravating the severe economicandsocialdeprivationfeltbymanycommunities.Inareaswheretherehas beenanidentifiedandrecognisedneedforfederalprotectionofIndiansandtheirland, theauthoritieshavefailedtotakeactiondespitethewarningsofsenatecommissions ortheOrganisationofAmericanStates,asinthecasesoftheCintaLargainRôndonia andtheXukuruinPernambuco.Afailuretopunishthosewhohavecarriedoutattacks andkillingsinthepast,haslaidthefoundationsfortheviolenceofthepresent. Forhundredsofyears,BrazilianIndianshavebeenviolentlydrivenofftheirlandby