Guarani Ñandeva Indigenous Peoples of Brazil demonstrate peacefully to claim their human right to territory
For 45 days, the Guarani Ñandeva have been camping in their own territory to indicate they will not yield to the pressures of farm businesses
A peaceful resistance of nearly 5000 Guarani Ñandeva has been taking place for over a month and a half in the vicinity to the border of Mato Grosso do Sul in Brazil and Paraguay. They are seeking approval of demarcation of the Indigenous Land of Ivy Katu, which the Ministry of Justice declared a permanent possession of the Guarani since 2005, while resisting the forced and illegal restitution of farm owners to this territory.
According to various reports by the protesters, who have been accused of ‘guerilla-like militia’ by mainstream media, farmers of the region are using attacks, intimidation, and paramilitary force (‘security’ agents contracted by farmers or ‘hired gunmen’) to threaten the lives of the indigenous community and push the restitution of the property concerning the indigenous territory of Ivy Katu. The last restitution order was granted this last November 18th by the Federal Court in favour of an agricultural business and determined a period of ten days for the Guaranis to voluntarily leave the occupied territories. However, although the term expired last Friday November 22, the Guaranis will not yield to any pressures and will stay in what they claim is their land.
Despite the multiple requests to leave their own indigenous territory of Yvy Katu after several judicial interventions, the indigenous community shares the position to resist under any circumstance and lines up unified with full families. Formerly, the Guarani Ñandeva agreed to occupying only 10% of the total area claimed with the commitment that demarcation of the land would be completed. However, until this date nothing has evolved and now they will only accept a 100% agreement: “100% of the land is ours, and we will not leave anymore”, states one of the indigenous leaders about the land that has been declared to them by virtue of the law.
In response to the systematic violations of the human rights to territory, food and other connected rights that Guarani have been suffering throughout several decades in Brazil, FIAN has written a petition to President Dilma Rousseff requiring not to approve proposed legislations that further undermine basic human rights for Indigenous Peoples, and instead to guarantee the right to territory of indigenous people and traditional communities in accordance with the current land titling policy.
To read and sign FIAN’s petition please click here.
See also a letter signed by CIMI and various indigenous organizations asking President Dilma Rousseff for a federal intervention in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, in which rural land owners are accussed of organizing a paramilitary force that threatens the lives and the rights of the communities declared under the Brazilian Constitution.
More information
Photo Gallery of Ivy Katu Discourse by a Guarani Ñandeva in defense of their territory Ivy Katu (audio file) Background information on the Guarani Kaiowá