Indigenous peoples demand priority in protection

According to data from the 2022 Census conducted by the Brazilian government´s statistics agency IBGE, Brazil is home to approximately 1.7 million self-declared indigenous individuals belonging to 305 ethnic groups. This population accounts for 0.83 percent of the country's total population.

On the occasion of Indigenous Peoples Day next Friday (Apr. 19), national indigenous authority Funai is promoting Indigenous April 2024 throughout the month. This initiative encompasses a spectrum of activities, including exhibitions, fairs, citizenship drives, and inclusion efforts tailored for traditional communities. These endeavors aim to honor cultures and ancestry while also commemorating the resilience and ongoing struggles of this segment of the Brazilian population. Earlier this week, Joenia Wapichana, the president of the organization, provided an interview to the Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC).

She highlighted that since the inauguration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's administration in 2023, Funai, established 56 years ago, has reinvigorated its institutional commitment to safeguarding indigenous peoples. According to her, this resurgence comes after what she describes as the erosion of policies aimed at indigenous affairs, environmental protection, and assistance for this demographic.

According to Wapichana, the challenges confronting indigenous peoples mirror those encountered by Funai. The organization's foremost objectives include solidifying land demarcations and ensuring the preservation and sustainable management of indigenous territories. Additionally, they prioritize defending indigenous rights, empowering communities to embark on projects promoting sustainability and well-being, safeguarding traditional ways of life, culture, and language, fostering physical security, and protecting isolated and recently contacted peoples.

"The paramount demand of indigenous peoples is ensuring the protection of their identities and preventing violence solely based on their indigenous status," she asserted. "Preserving these rights, enshrined in our Constitution, remains our top priority to prevent any regression or erosion."

Yanomami

Joenia Wapichana commended the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples, in collaboration with Funai, for initiating the distribution of food baskets to the Yanomami community this week. This comes after the conclusion of a military operation by the Army, which had been responsible for these deliveries since last year. These latest efforts aim to ensure food security for the Yanomami ethnic group.

"We cannot stand by while people suffer from hunger; those in need require immediate assistance. Simultaneously, we are initiating discussions on agricultural projects, sustainability, and food security because we recognize that simply providing food baskets is not a long-term solution. Our goal is to restore dignity to the Yanomami people."

"Through a year-long contract with a private company, nearly 9,000 food baskets will be distributed each month. Over the course of the year, approximately 20,000 flight hours will be dedicated to delivering these baskets to the Yanomami indigenous land in the state of Roraima. This will continue until the community can safely resume their communal gardens without the risk of contamination."

In February, President Lula established the Government House in Boa Vista, the capital of Roraima, to streamline federal government efforts in the region, which harbors the largest indigenous population in the country. Approximately 27,1 thousand individuals reside in 384 villages spread across 9.5 million hectares, situated between the states of Amazonas and Roraima, along the border with Venezuela.

The establishment of the Government House came about a year after the federal government declared a public health emergency on Yanomami land in January 2023. Since then, federal agencies have been actively working to address the crisis, remove invaders from the land, and halt illegal mining activities. These activities not only devastate the environment but also contaminate the region's rivers.

Last year, the Ministry of Health documented 363 deaths among the Yanomami indigenous population, primarily attributed to malnutrition and malaria. This figure marked a 6 percent increase from the 343 deaths recorded in 2022. Joenia Wapichana explained that the government has been actively addressing this situation and mentioned ongoing investigations to ascertain whether deaths were underreported during the previous administration.

Land demarcation

For the president of Funai, one of the principal challenges confronting the agency is the demarcation of indigenous lands. This constitutional prerogative is designed to ensure the autonomy and safeguarding of indigenous peoples' rights, as well as their involvement in the governance and conservation of these territories.

Wapichana emphasized that in 2023 Funai once again made the demarcation of indigenous territories a priority.

Data from Funai in November 2023 reveals that there are 736 registered indigenous lands in the country. Collectively, these areas account for approximately 13.75 percent of Brazil's territory and are situated across all biomes, with a notable concentration in the Legal Amazon. Among these, 132 indigenous lands are currently in the study phase of the demarcation process.

The indigenist agency is currently reviewing approximately 490 claims submitted by indigenous peoples.

Violence

Wapichana announced that on Monday (15), a working group was established to address land conflicts involving indigenous peoples. Its primary objectives are to enhance and standardize the indigenist agency's response to cases of violence against indigenous populations. Additionally, the group will deliberate on indigenous matters in various states.

In January of this year, a Pataxó Hã-hã-hãe indigenous woman was tragically murdered in the municipality of Potiraguá, located in the southernmost region of the state of Bahia. This devastating incident unfolded amidst a conflict involving indigenous communities, military police, and local farmers.

Joenia Wapichana stated that Funai has been closely monitoring various situations both directly and through its regional coordinations.

"The land disputes and the prolonged delays in demarcating indigenous territories create significant vulnerabilities. Therefore, we prioritize demarcation and protection as key strategies to mitigate violence," she stated.

The report "Violence Against Brazil's Indigenous Peoples—data for 2022," published by the Indigenous Missionary Council (CIMI), affiliated with the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB), highlighted 158 documented instances of conflicts concerning territorial rights. Additionally, it identified 309 cases of land invasions, illegal resource exploitation (including timber and minerals), and property damage, impacting 218 indigenous territories across 25 states.

According to the same study, there were 416 documented cases of violence against indigenous people in 2022. These included 180 murders, 17 cases of culpable homicide, 17 instances of intentional bodily harm, 28 attempted murders, 27 death threats, 60 various threats, 20 cases of sexual violence, 38 incidents of racism and ethnic-cultural discrimination, and 29 abuses of power.

Legislative

Born in Boa Vista, Joenia Wapichana made history as the first indigenous woman elected to the federal legislature, serving from 2019 to 2022. In the 2022 elections, only five indigenous individuals were elected to the House of Representatives, among them the current Minister for Indigenous Peoples, Sonia Guajajara. Despite not being re-elected, Wapichana assumed the presidency of Funai in 2023. She holds the distinction of being the first indigenous woman lawyer in Brazil and holds a master's degree in international law from the University of Arizona (USA).

She evaluated the stance of the National Congress on matters pertaining to indigenous peoples. Among these developments, in October, the Legislature passed Law 14.701/2023, concerning the temporal framework of indigenous lands. Additionally, in December, it overturned President Lula's vetoes on the provision that stipulated indigenous peoples would only have the right to land demarcation in areas they inhabited by the date of the Federal Constitution's promulgation on October 5, 1988. Entities engaged in the indigenous struggle categorize this text as a denial of the inherent right to existence for these indigenous communities.

"I believe that one day our country will have a National Congress that can see the minorities and recognize the importance of the original peoples of this country. I hope that they can even respect what they approved in that House, our Federal Constitution," she said.

Indigenous women

Not only does the current leadership of the federal agency overseeing Brazil's indigenous policy include a female president, but it also comprises entirely of women. In addressing the concerns of indigenous women, Joenia Wapichana emphasizes Funai's commitment to upholding their rights, advocating against discrimination, and empowering these women and girls to play pivotal roles in fostering well-being. This approach underscores the agency's recognition of the diverse and unique needs of each indigenous community.

"I refuse to witness women subjected to any form of violence—be it physical, emotional, or social. Women possess immense potential for indigenous leadership, capable of occupying any space they desire, just as I have done and continue to do," she affirmed.

Indigenous women are also represented among the brigade members recruited by the National Center for Preventing and Fighting Forest Fires (Prevfogo) to combat forest fires. Out of the total recruits in 2023, 80 were women, with 24 of them being indigenous.

Citizenship, autonomy, and protagonism

Joenia Wapichana highlighted her commitment as the head of Funai to foster sustainable development through initiatives aimed at ensuring the autonomy and agency of indigenous communities. In line with this vision, Funai introduced the Indigenous Seal of Brazil in January of this year. This certification attests that a product, whether agricultural, artisanal, or extractive, was cultivated or harvested by an indigenous individual on their ancestral land.

The objective is to value and identify the cultural heritage of indigenous peoples. The seal specifies the ethnicity of the producer, whether an individual or a company, and indicates the indigenous territory where the product was cultivated. This collaborative effort by Funai, in partnership with the Ministries of Indigenous Peoples and Agrarian Development and Family Farming, aims to enhance the value of the production chain.

Throughout Indigenous April 2024, Funai has been conducting initiatives in various territories to facilitate indigenous peoples' access to civil documentation. This endeavor aims to ensure that they can assert their social and citizenship rights on par with any other Brazilian citizen.

Figures

The IBGE's 2022 Census reveals that among the total self-declared indigenous population (1.7 million, representing 305 ethnic groups), more than half—51.25 percent or 867,900 indigenous individuals—reside in the Legal Amazon region.

Indigenous communities are distributed across 86.7 percent of municipalities in Brazil. The states of Amazonas (490,900) and Bahia (229,100) harbor the largest indigenous populations, collectively representing 42.51 percent of the total indigenous population. In Brazil, there are 274 languages spoken by various indigenous peoples. Before Portuguese colonization, it is estimated that this number reached 1,200 languages, serving as vehicles for the oral transmission of ancestral knowledge.