May 30, 2023

09:05

Mencius Melo – Amazon Agency

MANAUS – Indigenous organizations and social entities are mobilizing for a major act of pressure against the Temporal Landmark on Tuesday, 30, at Largo São Sebastião, in downtown Manaus. AMAZON AGENCY spoke with leaders of the act, concentrated in the capital of the state with the largest indigenous population in the country.

The protesters are against the thesis that says that indigenous people only have the right to land if they were already occupying it at the time of the promulgation of the 1988 Constitution, which will be taken to trial on June 7 by the Federal Supreme Court (STF).

According to the coordinator of Makira Eta – Network of Women, Rosa Baniwa, it is necessary to pressure the Amazonian bench in Congress. “Including our senators, who are elected with indigenous votes in a large portion of the municipalities,” she said.

For the indigenous leader, there is a front against the populations. “Businessmen from the agro, mining, and far-right politicians are the main articulators, financiers, so that the Temporal Framework is approved. They only aim at the profit they can make with this thesis”, she criticized.

Political configuration

According to professor Alva Rosa Tukano, it is time to work so that the political configuration of Amazonas changes in favor of the indigenous populations. “Today, the indigenous movement in Amazonas is organized, and one of the goals is to elect representatives. We are going to hold seminars to discuss party politics, so that we can consciously choose which party fights for the rights of indigenous peoples. We will also discuss, collectively, the profile of the indigenous candidates,” he said.

Orchestrated setback

Another leader involved in the mobilization, the president of the Articulation of Indigenous Organizations and Peoples of the Amazon (Apiam), Mariazinha Baré, evaluated the national situation in face of the clashes in Congress.

“The indigenous and environmental movements suffered a setback orchestrated in the National Congress against the ministers Sonia Gujajara and Marina Silva. This shows that it is necessary to strengthen the fight in parliament”, she concluded. Mariazinha also considers representativeness. “It is time for the indigenous movement of the Amazon to elect federal representatives or is this a utopia?“.

Mariazinha Baré continued the political reading, where she says that indigenous peoples must go beyond occupying spaces in parliament. “Society needs to change its narratives and concepts about the importance of the Amazon and the peoples who live and defend life, territories, and the environment for humanity”, she urged.

Asked about a possible defeat in the STF, Baré considered alternatives. “Appeal to the International Court and to the world about the negative impacts and damage that the Temporal Framework will cause, as well as other anti-indigenous and anti-environmental agendas that have been causing and will cause damage in a greater proportion to the Amazon and humanity”, she concluded.