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Brazil - Indigenous Guarani leader Nisio Gomes killed

President Dilma Rousseff

Madame President,

We are extremely worried about the situation of the Guarani-Kaiowá indigenous population in Mato Grosso do Sul.

For the past several years this indigenous population has consistently lived in a situation of human rights´ violations, given their complete lack of access to their ancestral lands and means of livelihoods. The lack of demarcation of their territory demonstrates the lack of respect for national legislation that in turn, has led to the Guarani-Kaiowá suffering from serious malnutrition and death.

On Friday 18th of November masked gunmen executed the indigenous leader Nísio Gomes in front of his community. Witnesses say he was shot in the head, chest, arms and legs. The 59-year-old's body was then driven away. In the same action witnesses report that two adolescent girls were kidnapped by the attackers, two other indigenous were shot, and several injured by rubber bullets. We believe that the killing have a direct connection to the Guarani-Kaiowá people´s struggle for their right to their ancestral territories.

Brazil is Party to the UN´s International Covenants of Human Rights, the American Convention on Human Rights, the San Salvador Protocol and the ILO Convention 169 and has therefore committed itself to protect and respect the human rights to food, water and particularly the indigenous people´s right to life. We therefore respectfully request that you adopt measure to guarantee that:

  • this attack will be immediately investigated; the body of Nisio Gomes will be given back to his community; the two adolescent girls will be rescued; and the culprits will be  prosecuted; in an attempt to overcome the impunity traditionally prevailing in regard to crimes committed against indigenous people, and to prevent any similar acts in future.
  • the Guarani-Kaiowá will be protected against any act of violence or criminalization of their struggle for land and their rights in general.
  • FUNAI quickly identifies and demarcates all the indigenous lands in Mato Grosso do Sul as was planned in the Conduct Adjustment Agreement, part of the Administrative Procedure MPF/RPM/DRS/MA MS1.21.001000065/2007-44.
  • Once the identification and demarcation processes have finished, they will then be authorized by the Ministry of Justice.

We would very much appreciate if you would inform us of any measure taken in this regard.

Read below the original letter in Portuguese to the Brazilian President, by FIAN International General Secretary