Government returns to titling territories and announces measures for quilombolas

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President delivered titles of three areas to quilombolas | Lula Marques / Brazil Agency

With information from Agência Brasil

The government returned to titling quilombola territories, after four years of interruption of the processes of regularization of these areas by the administration of Jair Bolsonaro. The last of these measures at the federal level took place in 2019, and was imposed by court decision.

President Luís Inácio Lula da Silva signed the title decrees for three areas, totaling 3,100 hectares: 2,200 hectares in the community of Brejo dos Crioulos, in the municipalities of São João da Ponte, Verdelândia and Varzelândia (MG) ; 806 hectares, in the Serra da Guia community, in Poço Redondo (SE); and another 111 hectares, in the community of Lagoa dos Campinhos, between Amparo de São Francisco and Telha (SE). The beneficiaries waited for the titles for more than 10 years. One hectare corresponds, more or less, to a football field.

The government also launched the Aquilomba Brasil program, with plans for land regularization actions; infrastructure and quality of life; productive inclusion; local ethnodevelopment; and rights and citizenship. The measures were announced on Tuesday (21) at the Planalto Palace.

Denildo Rodrigues, known as Biko, from the National Coordination for the Coordination of Rural Black Quilombola Communities (Conaq), explains that the expectation was that the government would move forward with the conclusion of 39 processes of regularization of territories that are at a standstill, awaiting only the signature of the decrees of titration.

He points out, however, that the announced actions are an important first step, considering the paralysis of quilombola policies, which began six years ago, in the Temer government. Biko says that the social movement will charge the government for more titles and the necessary resources for them.

“These three titled territories are already hopeful. It already shows a sign of change and the return of the quilombola agenda to the main center of government, where it should never have left. So for us it is important, ”he says. He also sees the creation of Aquilomba Brasil with hope. “It is not just the guarantee of the territory itself. But [esperamos]yes, that the government can draw up a land regularization and development plan for these territories”, he concludes.

‘Titling schedule’

“Based on the Aquilomba Brasil program, on the access to land axis, we are going to organize, together with Incra, a national agenda for titling, which begins with the titles delivered today by our president”, informed the Minister of Racial Equality, Anielle Franco, at Tuesday’s event.

“The title that [essas comunidades] will receive today symbolizes the new times, not only for these territories, but for many others, that this government is committed to advancing in guaranteeing the right to land, reparation and the promotion of dignity for the quilombola population”, he pointed out.

The minister said that Aquilomba Brasil intends to guarantee, among other initiatives, the permanence of quilombola students in higher education, with the increase of quotas in universities; recognize traditional quilombola medicine and expand the presence of basic health units, especially in the most isolated territories; resume the Luz para Todos and rural housing programs for these populations. There is still no information on a plan and deadlines for the start of actions.

On Tuesday, the creation of an Interministerial Working Group (GTI) on the Valongo Wharf, which is a World Heritage Site, was also announced. The objective is to articulate actions for the port area of ​​Rio de Janeiro, through which more than one million enslaved people passed. There are already plans for the construction of an African heritage reference center on the site.

The date of the announcement of the measures (3/21) was chosen to celebrate 20 years of racial equality policies in the country, since the creation of the Special Secretariat for Policies to Promote Racial Equality, in 2003, in Lula’s first term. Also for being the International Day of Struggle for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the National Day of Traditions of Roots of African Matrices and Nations of Candomblé, instituted by law sanctioned by the current management, in January.

anti-racism package

“Despite being the second largest black nation on the planet, Brazil still hasn’t come to terms with its 350 years of slavery. Despite all the efforts and advances, this country still has an immense historical debt to redeem”, pointed out Lula. “With today’s five actions, we are once again responding concretely to the historical flags of the black movement”, she defended.

He also signed the decrees creating other GTIs to formulate actions and programs to promote racial equality. One of them will discuss the structure of the National Program of Affirmative Actions, foreseeing measures for the access and permanence of black students in universities, in addition to reservations of vacancies in government agencies.

Another GTI will discuss the Plano Juventude Negra Viva, with initiatives to reduce homicides, vulnerabilities and social inequalities for young blacks aged 15 to 29 years. The last GTI will develop measures to combat religious racism, which affects traditional peoples and communities of African origin and terreiros.

How many quilombolas are there in Brazil?

There is still no official estimate, but the IBGE estimates that there are around 214,000 quilombola families in the country today, out of a total of approximately 1 million people, in 6,000 communities and 1,600 municipalities. The Census still in progress in the country will provide unprecedented information on these populations and territories.

To date, 315 titles have been issued by the federal and state governments, in 205 territories, 355 communities, covering 20,700 families and around one million hectares. The data are from the National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform (Incra) and this month.

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