2023-05-02 15:27:06
Building paths for access to justice in the Amazon was the motto of the Public Defender of the State of Amazonas in the celebration of its 33 years of activity, celebrated on April 17 at Maloca Casa do Saber, in the most indigenous municipality in Brazil, São Gabriel da Cachoeira (AM).
At the event, the Ombudsman highlighted the importance of inter-institutional work and the partnership with civil society organizations that work for indigenous rights in the triple border and awarded the Socio-Environmental Institute (ISA) and the Federation of Indigenous Organizations of Rio Negro (Foirn) an honorable mention for promoting access to justice in the Northwest Amazon.
“Without the partnership of institutions that know the reality of indigenous peoples, the local culture and the social problems that exist in the region, it would be impossible to carry out our work. That is why, in this first year of operation of the Alto Rio Negro Pole, we thank the partners for joining efforts with us in improving access to justice in the region”, emphasized defender Isabela do Amaral Sales, coordinator of the Alto Rio Negro Pole, during a ceremony with the presence of the general defender of the State of Amazonas, Ricardo Queiroz de Paiva.
Joint initiatives to promote better access to Justice and to the services provided by the Ombudsman’s Office were carried out by the institutions, among them the service in indigenous languages, such as the Hup language, made by the communicator Álvaro Socot, from the Hupd’äh people, member of the Wayuri Network of Communicators Indigenous Peoples, supported and articulated by ISA together with Foirn. “Most of my Hupd’äh people come to the city to get documents and they don’t know how to speak Portuguese well and don’t know how to do these jobs. Therefore, the role of the translator is important”, commented Socot.
The Ombudsman’s communication with the communities has been strengthened since defenders Isabela Sales and Danielle Mascarenhas have been closer to the indigenous media that bring information to the communities, such as the Papo da Maloca program and the Wayuri podcast.
The vehicles publicize the services, information and events carried out by the Ombudsman. In addition to full and free legal, judicial and extrajudicial assistance to those who cannot afford a lawyer, the Ombudsman also provides services related to separation, divorce, alimony, custody and visitation of children, inventories and paternity investigations.
Visit of the new General and Inspector General of Justice of the AM
The agenda of articulations with State institutions that have strategic action in the Alto Rio Negro region also included the visit of the new general in São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Nilton Diniz Rodrigues, to the ISA headquarters.
Rodrigues assumed command of the Second Jungle Infantry Brigade on April 17, replacing General Ricardo Augusto do Amaral Peixoto.
The meeting was attended by members of ISA’s Rio Negro Program team, who work in the region in areas such as socio-biodiversity economics, community-based indigenous tourism, articulation of socio-environmental policies, communication and logistics operations.
During the meeting, it was possible to convey to General Diniz some of the challenges of working in the Alto Rio Negro and a sociocultural overview of one of the most diverse and extensive regions in Brazil.
There, 23 indigenous peoples, speakers of 16 languages, live in the largest hydrographic basin of black waters in the world – considered the most preserved region of the Brazilian Amazon.
Institutional collaborations and partnerships for the benefit of indigenous communities, such as logistical support for more remote regions where the Army’s six border platoons (Pefs) are located, were also articulated during the conversation.
General Diniz, who was a military attache in diplomatic relations with Norway and the United Kingdom, commented on the extreme importance of preserving the Amazon and indigenous cultural diversity for Brazil and the world.
He also emphasized that the work of civil society organizations, such as ISA, together with national and international public opinion, is fundamental for effective efforts towards valuing, preserving and sustainably developing the Amazon.
Focusing on the defense of indigenous rights, a meeting was also held on April 18 with the justice inspector of the State of Amazonas, judge Jomar Ricardo Saunders Fernandes, who was in São Gabriel da Cachoeira to accompany the first visit of the National Corregedoria to the municipality .
The mission was attended by the Minister of the Superior Court of Justice (STJ), Mauro Campbell Marques, and the National Inspector of Justice, Minister Luis Felipe Salomão, who is also a member of the National Council of Justice (CNJ).
“We were in the Comarca of São Gabriel da Cachoeira for another phase of the extraordinary correction work in the municipality, which aims to verify the judicial performance and notary and registration services in actions involving the rights of indigenous peoples. And we, from the Corregedoria, spoke with representatives of entities, public agencies and institutions in the municipality that have a direct or indirect relationship with indigenous peoples to learn about the work and projects aimed at this population”, said Saunders.
During the meeting at ISA, Saunders learned about the work carried out by the Institute in partnership with Foirn, with emphasis on the defense of rights, protection and territorial management, as well as aspects related to cultural appreciation and access to public policies. The inspector received the territorial and environmental management plans for the Indigenous Lands of Rio Negro (PGTAs)carried out based on the technical cooperation agreement between ISA, Foirn and Funai, which aims to implement a series of actions, projects and public policies aimed at indigenous well-being.
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