August 30, 2023

09:08

Daleth Oliveira – From Cenarium Amazon Agency

BELÉM (PA) – On August 14, the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) began an operation to remove illegally-raised cattle from the Ituna-Itatá Indigenous Land (TI), located in Pará. The aim of the action is to regain control of the territory, preventing invasions by criminals.

On Tuesday 29th, 123 head of cattle were removed, in addition to the issuance of infraction notices totaling R$15 million. Ibama says that all the animals seized will be sent to social programs in the state and those responsible will be punished.

With the operation, the institute seeks to contain “the advance of environmental degradation caused by illegal cattle ranching, guaranteeing indigenous people their constitutional right to exclusive use of their territory”.

The action will continue until the end, so that all the illegal herds can be removed, says Ibama, which is operating in the region with the support of the Federal Police (PF), the Federal Highway Police (PRF), the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (Funai) and the Pará State Agricultural Defense Agency (Adepará), and is also supported by the National Public Security Force and the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio).

People tried to sabotage Ibama’s operation

Residents of the region even set fire to a bridge in an attempt to sabotage Ibama’s operation. The institute said it had not been officially notified of the case, but “is committed to carrying out the operation by various means”.

The bridge is in Vila Mocotó, in Gleba Assurini, a rural area between the municipalities of Altamira and Senador José Porfírio.

Ituna-Itatá

Inhabited by isolated indigenous people from the Ituna-Itatá Indigenous Land, the area is the subject of Public Civil Action No. 1000157-47.2022.4.01.3903, which orders the Federal Government to remove non-indigenous people from the site. The land used for cattle ranching is illegally deforested, characterizing an environmental crime.

From 2019 to 2022, Ituna-Itatá ranked second among the most deforested indigenous lands in Brazil. Due to the alarming rates of deforestation, Ibama has embargoed more than 21,000 hectares within this area.

According to Ibama, “the embargoes and notices to remove the cattle were not being complied with, and the invasions continued, preventing the regeneration of the forest with the raising of cattle”.

Edited by Pricila de Assis
Reviewed by Adriana Gonzaga