Brazil: There are days of struggle and days of victory – Community Brejo dos Crioulos to return to traditional land

Heidelberg, 7 October 2011 – Civil society organizations applauded the Brazilian Presidential Decree of September 29, 2011, which expropriated the land corresponding to the Brejo dos Crioulos territory, making way for the return of the community to their traditional land.

The 503 families of the Community of Brejo dos Crioulos have fought for 12 years for the regularization of their land.

The residents of the territory are quilombola, descendants of afrodescendant runaway slaves in Brazil, which had their right to their traditional territories recognized by the Federal Constitution of 1988. More than 3000 quilombola communities have already been recognized in Brazil since then.

The slow pace through the legal channels placed, in many instances, the lives of the families at risk. They were victim of several violent eviction attempts carried out by the private militias of the large landowners holding the land. The last forced eviction by the militias took place on September 24, 2011.

Despite the refusal of the Brazilian State to recognize the human right to adequate food, and related rights of this community, they have fought on, even intensifying efforts in the last few years and months. Recent actions include a meeting of community representatives with the Civil cabinet of the Presidency in August 2011, with the participation of FIAN International Secretary General, FIAN Brazil, Pastoral Land Commission (CPT) and others; the carrying out of public hearings in the National Congress, with more than 100 quilombola representatives from all over the country; and two days of mobilization in Brasilia – demanding to be received by the President and the signature of the Decree, chaining themselves to the gutter in front of the Presidential Palace, and a peaceful occupation of a meeting room in Congress.  The community representatives were finally received by President Dilma, who signed the Decree in their presence.

This is the first decree signed by the new Brazilian President recognizing the right of quilombola communities to their traditional territories and establishes an important precedent for similar cases.

As of now, the road is open for the return of the quilombolas to their traditional territory and the basic conditions are reestablished for them to feed themselves, in accordance to their cultural practices, in line with the realization of the right to adequate food and human dignity. The final constitution of the territory, as a benchmark of citizenship, will only be consolidated through the full access to public policies which promote the capacity of the quilombolas to take advantage of their resources in accordance to their cultural practices.

“Life is made of days of struggle and days of victory,” said FIAN International Secretary General Flavio Valente. “We celebrate together with the community its victory and maintain our commitment as FIAN International to continue providing support as needed in this consolidation phase.”

Organizations which have assisted the quilombola Community of Brejo dos Crioulos (Minas Gerais, Brazil) in their fight include FIAN Brazil, Pastoral Land Commission (CPT), North of Minas Center for Alternative Agriculture (CAA Norte de Minas), Citizenship Education Network (RECID), Caritas, Montes Claros University (UNIMONTES), Minas Gerais Federation of Quilombola Communities, Center for documentation Eloy Ferreira da Silva (CEDEFES), Minas Gerais Food and Nutritional Security Council (CONSEA Minas), and other quilombola movements from different parts of the country.

Background on the Brejo dos Crioulos Community

The community of Brejo dos Crioulos, is localized in the Northern Region of the State of Minas Gerais. It is composed of 503 families distributed in 8 communities, and has been fighting for the legalization of its territory for 12 years. The territory has 17.302 ha – in the municipalities of São João da Ponte, Varzelândia and Verdelândia – and has been in the possession of large land owners of the region.  Over the last 12 years, the quilombolas managed to move the legal process through INCRA (National Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform) and MDA (Ministry for Social Development) and to take it to the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency, in April 2011.

More information on the process at www.fianbrasil.org.br  or at www.blog.planalto.gov.br