Article originally published on the Mídia Ninja website, on 4/6/2023
April is the month of Camp Terra Livre (ATL). From the 24th to the 28th of this month, thousands of indigenous people, from all regions of the country, will be camped in Brasília to discuss the treatment given to their rights and demands by the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary powers.
This will be the nineteenth edition of the ATL, which has already become a tradition and a reference for democratic and participatory social mobilization. Nothing to do with barracks doors. Apib, Articulação dos Povos Indígenas do Brasil, which convenes and coordinates the ATL, has already started negotiations with the GDF, the Government of the Federal District, to define the location of the camp. The APIB always prefers the Esplanada dos Ministérios lawn, but the GDF wants to transfer it to Granja do Torto, or another location outside the Plano Piloto, citing the political trauma caused by the coup predation of January 8. It is likely to end up being close to Funarte, behind the Radio and TV Tower, the same location as last year and a middle ground between expectations.
This will be the first edition of the ATL after the creation of the MPI, the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples, promised by President Luís Inácio Lula da Silva in the last ATL, still as a candidate. There is great anxiety with the proximity of the mobilization and the indigenous communities and organizations are already articulating delegations, buying beads and raising funds for the trip and stay.
‘Marco temporal’
One of the priorities of the indigenous movement is the resumption by the Federal Supreme Court (STF) of the judgment on the “time frame”, a legal interpretation of the ruralists that intends to prevent the demarcation of lands that were not in the possession of indigenous communities on October 8, 1988, date of promulgation of the Constitution. The trial is tied at 1 X 1 and a request for views from Minister Alexandre de Moraes postponed the conclusion of the trial.
On a visit to a Marubo village, in Vale do Javari (AM), the president of the STF, Rosa Weber, promised that the trial will resume in the first half. Indigenous peoples hope that the original character of their territorial rights – prior to the constitution of the Brazilian State – will be reaffirmed and that the communities expelled during the military dictatorship will also have their lands demarcated.
Apib hopes that the judgment will be resumed until the installation of the ATL, or, at least, that Rosa Weber will announce the date of this resumption. It also hopes that its leaders will be received by Alexandre de Moraes and that he will vote against such a timeframe.
Disputes in Congress
During the ATL, the Joint Parliamentary Front in Defense of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples will be relaunched, under the coordination of deputy Célia Xakriabá (PSOL-MG) in that Legislature. In the last Legislature, the front was led by then deputy Joenia Wapichana (Rede-RR), current president of Funai. The recreation request, with the signatures of 207 deputies, has already been approved by the mayor, Arthur Lira (PP-AL).
This is not about bureaucracy, but about the result of the work of articulating the deputy and her advisory, which overcame and defeated the attempt by deputy Coronel Crisóstomo (PL-RO) to “grab” the FPI to subject it to anti-indigenous interests . The relaunch of FPI in the ATL environment will have strong symbolism.
The Commission for the Amazon and Original and Traditional Peoples was also installed in the Chamber. It is a permanent technical committee, which will give its opinion on bills and other legislative proposals. It will also be chaired by deputy Célia Xakriabá, but her mandate goes beyond indigenous issues and includes other traditional populations.
In the Senate, the CPI of NGOs should be installed, led by Senator Plínio Valério (PSDB-AM), who intends to criminalize, in addition to NGOs, the Amazon Fund itself, managed by BNDES and which was inactive during the last government. The CPI also intends to reach the most representative indigenous organizations, which conquered new sources of financing and unprecedented spaces of political influence.
indigenous policies
In this ATL, the indigenous movement will have the first opportunity to collectively evaluate and discuss the first 100 days of the Lula government, the advances and impasses that indigenous representatives have experienced at MPI, at Funai, at the Special Secretariat for Indigenous Health (Sesai) and in other areas of government.
Indigenous authorities, such as Minister Sonia Guajajara, the Ministry’s Executive Secretary, Eloy Terena, the President of Funai, Joênia Wapichana, and the Head of Sesai, Weibe Tapeba, will have the opportunity to present to the grassroots the challenges and difficulties of the government and to listen to criticisms and suggestions about the direction of indigenous policies.
At the beginning of this government, Funai renewed ordinances restricting the use of areas occupied by isolated indigenous peoples and formed working groups to identify Indigenous Lands. It is expected that, by the ATL, 14 areas will be ratified by presidential decrees and other measures announced that mark the resumption of demarcation processes, as determined by the Constitution.
Also expected are the nominations of people indicated by indigenous organizations for Funai’s regional coordinations and other Sesai positions, also disputed by deputies and local politicians. At the ATL, everyone will be able to learn more about the budget, structure and personnel conditions of the bodies most affected by indigenous demands, inherited from the previous government.
It will be a good time to point out and demand measures from government bodies in relation to the territories that suffer most from invasions by miners, loggers, traffickers and land grabbers, some of which even have court decisions favorable to the removal of invaders, but still not fulfilled. The case of the Yanomami Indigenous Land, which was the object of direct intervention by President Lula, registers advances, but also the need to better articulate the action of federal agencies.
Seeing inside
It will also be time for the indigenous movement to look at itself from within, promote new cadres to fill the voids left by those who went to government, deepen partnerships and restore the parameters of their autonomy. Apib and other organizations have increased responsibilities and face strong enemies.
The schedule for the five days of ATL activities has not yet been released, but it can be expected to be intense. Although typical challenges of resistance, which predominated during the Bolsonaro government, are still present, the demands for a positive agenda and the expected advances for the coming months and years are already hot.
In parallel, there will certainly be news from all regions, talks about carbon contracts, lots of songs and dances, spicy gossip and strong emotions. In addition to handicrafts, body painting and products from the forest.
If you are not yet an Apib partner, but understand the importance of indigenous peoples, their territories and their cultures for a good future project for Brazil, come on over. Visit Apib’s profiles on social networks (@apiboficial), follow ATL, contribute with some money and share news, images and impressions with your friends.