Artemisa Xakriabá, indigenous climate activist: “Lula has time to avoid the extermination of indigenous peoples”

2023-10-15 13:18:39

Artemisa Xakriabá (Xakriabá, 2000) is a well-known Brazilian indigenous climate activist who has raised his voice on multiple occasions against the environmental policies of the previous Government of Jair Bolsonaro. She is the representative of the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities of Indigenous Communities and a strong defender of climate justice. Serves El Periódico de Catalunyafrom the Prensa Ibérica group, during a visit to Barcelona this week.

How did you get started in activism?

In reality, activism is born with us. We grow up knowing that taking care of nature is taking care of our home. The word activism came much later. I had always been taught the importance of protecting nature but I didn’t know there was a word to define that.

What role does the defense of the environment play in current Brazilian politics?

Beyond the Amazon there are many other biomes that are currently being affected by measures adopted during the previous Government. Within these biomes, in Brazil there are 6, there are indigenous territories that are being threatened. We are leaving a mandate, that of Bolsonaro, that has been multi-genocidal and of which today, despite having a new Government, that of Lula, we continue to pay the consequences, as is the case of the ‘temporary framework’.

What is the ‘time frame’?

It is an initiative that derives from Bill 490, which states that indigenous and tribal peoples would only have the right to usufruct of the lands they were occupying prior to the date of promulgation of the 1988 Federal Constitution. Most of the lands in the that indigenous peoples live and cultivate are not formally claimed, so this initiative, if it becomes law, would imply a direct attack on our communities and consequently on the nature that we protect.

In what phase is the approval of the ‘temporary framework’?

At the moment it has been approved in the Senate, but the indigenous peoples started a series of movements and protests until the Constitutional Court revoked the approval. It was a small victory, but now it’s back on the table. This genocidal initiative will expand the scope and permits of deforestation, illegal mining, agribusiness… It will involve the destruction of indigenous lands because we are the ones who occupy those territories that we will be stripped of if it ends up becoming law. Lula has time to avoid the extermination of indigenous peoples with a total veto of the ‘time frame’.

The genocidal ‘time frame’ initiative will expand permits for deforestation and illegal mining

Is economic interest the main driver of the project?

Yes, it is designed for profit because it is designed by people who do not understand the environmental issue, and who instead value the territories based on the benefit they can produce. It is the pure image of capitalism. We indigenous people, on the other hand, have a phrase that says that the land has value but it has no price. They want the land to buy and sell, to increase their profits, we want it to eat, it is our home.

Could it set a precedent for the approval of other regulations that harm the environment?

Yes, in fact it already happened. The ‘time frame’ comes from other laws that afflict the environment. We indigenous peoples have been warning for a long time about what is happening now. It’s part of environmental racism. The territories are being threatened and nature is dying, the rivers dry up, the vegetation dies, there are more and more rains and landslides. If it ends up happening, they will inevitably approve new regulations that destroy indigenous territory.

Are indigenous peoples alone in this fight?

I don’t think we are alone, but our struggle has always been made invisible. When it comes to the environment and climate justice, we are finding more and more alliances and more people are supporting the cause because they are aware that it will affect them sooner or later in their lives.

Could obtaining a total veto pave the way for reversing other decisions of the Bolsonaro Government?

This is what we really hope for, but we also know that the majority of deputies and senators are in favor of these bills that directly attack indigenous populations. We hope that if the total veto is approved on the 20th, these people will become aware that it was really a measure aimed at the extermination of the indigenous population and the territories.