Tapirapés fight mining operations on their lands
Published by MAC on 2006-05-09Source: Friends of the Earth Brazil
Tapirapés fight mining operations on their lands
Based on information from Diario de Cuiba September 5 2006
presented by Friends of the Earth Brazil
Technicians from a mining company from Pará were caught in the act of mining on the Urubu Branco Indigenous Land of the Tapirapés tribe located in the municipality of Confresa, Mato Grosso. The mining activities had been authorized by indigenous leaders, which shocked the rest of the community. Although only three of the five chiefs were involved in the affair, all of them were removed from their positions.
The episode led the youth of the village to write a petition expressing concern and anger over the mining company's strategy.
According to the document, the trespassers had promised money and vehicles to the chiefs in exchange for free access to the region.
The accusations were sent to the Federal Attorney General Mário Lúcio Avelar.
The site where the technicians were working is known as Serra São João and is, to the indigenous group, a sacred site it calls Towajaãwa. Only shamans are allowed to go there, as the Tapirapés believe that the spirits responsible for abundant or scarce hunting of the community live there.
The mining company also had plans to conduct a sweep of the entire mountain range of Urubu Branco. Enacted in 1998, the 167,000 hectare area has a long history of squatting attempts. In the document, the young braves expressed their fear over the possibility of losing the site. "It is only a short while ago that we achieved the demarcation of our land, after much struggle and difficulty. We have not yet been able to remove all of the trespassers. Therefore, we can no longer allow these invaders, such as these miners, to enter our land (.) With so many white men inside our area, we run the risk of losing our land".
New Leadership.
The new chiefs promised to seek alternatives that ensure economic sustainability, and not to allow degradation of the tribe's property. All of them are participants in the Indigenous Higher Learning Project of the State University of Mato Grosso (Unemat).
The petition, written by the newly-elected chief Xario'i Carlos and by his students from the Tapi'itawa village also warn against the dangers of mining to the health of the community and to the environment. It cites the sad example of the situation of the Yanomami and of the Cinta Larga peoples who have suffered losses from the effects of this activity.
Recurring illegal acts.
An article published by the Diário de Cuiabá newspaper made accusations of illegal occupation of the Urubu Branco Indigenous Land one year ago. Nevertheless, mining activities continued expanding without any government investigation.
According to the Tapirapés, there are some 200 families of squatters on their lands, who deforest and burn plots in the area. Reginaldo Tapirapé, one of the tribe's leaders, said that they have already alerted authorities regarding the occupation, but neither the National Indigenous Foundation (Funai) nor the Federal Police have taken any measures to stop it, which has caused the number of squatters to increase.
On visiting the region, reporters from Diário were witness to deforestation activities, building of new fences and illegal logging over roads, trails and skid trails. Some squatters are still in the area because of an injunction granted by the Federal Court, but these are not authorized to make any modifications to their lands.
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