German parliamentarians enquire about Guarani and Kaiowá to FUNAI

A delegation of German parliamentarians met Artur Nobre Mendes last week, director for the Promotion of Sustainable Development of the Fundação Nacional do Índio (FUNAI), and enquired about current policies and the status of indigenous communities in Brazil.

The German representatives stressed there are legislative measures that threaten the rights of indigenous peoples, such as the proposal to amend the Constitution (PEC) 215/00 and the Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry (CPI) on the activities of FUNAI and Instituto Nacional de Colonização e Reforma Agrária (INCRA).  In particular, the parliamentarians raised concerns over the conflict involving the Guarani and Kaiowá, in Mato Grosso do Sul, where an escalation of violence has been observed recently.

Mr Mendes reaffirmed that FUNAI’s institutional position remains against the proposal PEC 215/00, which seeks to transfer powers from the executive to legislative bodies, including those concerning the demarcation of indigenous lands. As for the CPI, FUNAI’s director stressed this CPI has the political intention of weakening indigenous rights, particularly those pertaining to traditional territories. So far, the CPI has failed to prove any fraud by FUNAI. 

Mr Mendes added that FUNAI emphasizes the gravity of the situation of the Guarani-Kaiowá in Mato Grosso do Sul, and the institution has been working to ensure the rights of the indigenous peoples in the region.  

FIAN International welcomes the German parliament’s enquiry, as it is fully in line with a recently adopted European Parliament’s urgency resolution that calls on EU Member States “to further step up efforts to engage with human rights defenders currently in danger”.

Last month, the UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples, Ms. Victoria Tauli Corpuz, expressed deep concerns over the escalation of attacks in the region. This was also observed by the Conselho Indigenista Missionário (CIMI), FIAN International and its sections in Brazil and Germany, in a visit to the region in March. During this visit, the organizations held several meetings with local and national authorities, as well as the EU delegation and German embassy in the country, to inform of the current situation of the Guarani and Kaiowá in Mato Grosso do Sul.

The representatives of the German Parliament have also scheduled meetings with the Ministry of Justice and with members of the National Congress, where the issue of the Guarani and Kaiowá is expected to be on the table.

For more information, please contact castaneda-flores[at]fian.org  and a.abascal[at]fian.de