AAAS Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program

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AAAS Human Rights Action Network

Date:	12 May 2005
Case Numbers:	br0504_car; br0505_nas; br0506_rib
Victims:	Fabio Almeida de Carvalho; Pierlangela Nascimiento da Cunha; Telmo Ribeiro Paulino
Country:	Brazil
Subject:	Brazilian Anthropologists Attacked
Issues:	Harassment or intimidation; Right to liberty and security of the person
Type of alert:	New

FACTS OF THE CASE:

At least three professors active in the indigenous rights movement in the Raposa Serra do Sol Indigenous Area have been threatened or attacked in the past few weeks, and the rest of the 12,000 indigenous people living in the area remain fearful for their own safety. The attacks come in response to the Brazilian government's decision to ratify the Raposa Serra do Sol territory as a continuous area, rather than as a series of islands. Ratification of the Indigenous Area means that non-indigenous people are now prohibited from utilizing this land. This has angered local rice farmers, who currently farm illegally on about 100 thousand of the over 1.74 million hectares that have been allotted to the indigenous area.

On April 15, 2005, Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a Decree ratifying the territory of Raposa Serra do Sol in Roraima, located in northern Brazil, as Indigenous. After a struggle lasting for more than 30 years, the Taurepang, Macuxi, Wapixana, Ingarikó and Patamona peoples have received official recognition of their traditional and ancestral lands. Ratification of this territory guarantees that the Indigenous peoples may maintain their lands, where they may develop physically, culturally, and spiritually and it reasserts the Indigenous rights incorporated in Brazil’s Constitution and the international covenants. In the first two years of the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the president ratified 48 indigenous territories, with a total area of 16.5 million hectares. As of April, 2005 another 43 territories, with a total area of 2.8 million hectares, were in the process of being demarcated.

A number of anthropologists working to promote education of the local indigenous population have come under attack since the ratification of the Indigenous Area. Professors Fabio Almeida de Carvalho, coordinator of the Indigenous Higher Education program (INSIKIRAN) at the Federal University of Roraima, Pierlangela Nascimiento da Cunha, General Coordinator of the Organization of Indigenous Teachers of Roraima (OPIR), and Telmo Ribeiro Paulino, Coordinator of the Center of Makuxi Training, Lower Cotingo Region, have all had threats made against their lives via anonymous telephone calls on April 19 - 21. In addition, an unknown assailant attacked the house of Professor Almeida de Carvalho with a Molotov cocktail at 3 AM on April 19th. Later, he received several telephone calls threatening him and his family, including his two daughters and pregnant wife.

The attacks are believed to be led by power holders in the area, who opposed the demarcation of the reserve as a continuous area. Local radio stations are inciting the public to react violently against the ratification. The Mayor of Pacaraima, Paulo Cesar Justo Quartieiro, has openly advocated the use of armed resistance to the removal of non-indigenous people from the land and encouraged violation of the declaration, including confronting federal forces, if necessary. Quartieiro is quoted as saying "Us, Brazilians of Pacaraima have two options: react or accept annihilation. We have opted for reacting." Although the rice farmers have been illegally invading previously established indigenous areas for over a decade, they have strong ties with the politicians of the state, creating a tense climate in the state.

The mood at INSIKIRAN and the offices of other local NGOs that supported the formation of the territory is one of fear. Locals are worried that several days will pass, media attention will die down, and then the threats will be carried out. The Professors are all now in safe places, but the authorities have not been able to guarantee them full time protection.

(Sources of information for this case include: Conselho Indígena de Roraima, personal correspondence with staff of INSIKIRAN, Rota Brasil Oeste, O Estado de S. Paulo, Embassy of Brazil, BBC)

RELEVANT HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

• Article 6: Every human being has the inherent right to life. This right shall be protected by law. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his [or her] life.

The Human Rights Defenders Declaration

• Article 12(2): The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the [Universal Declaration of Human Rights].

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Please send faxes, letters, or emails:

• Denouncing the attacks against the professors working in the Raposa Serra do Sol indigenous territory;
• Expressing concern for the welfare of the professors and requesting federal protection for them;
and
• Supporting the rights of the indigenous peoples, who have been defending their territories for over 500 years.

APPEAL AND INQUIRY MESSAGES SHOULD BE SENT TO:

Dr. Marcio Thomaz Bastos
Exmo. Ministro da Justica da Republica Federativa do Brasil
Ministerio da Justica
Esplanada dos Ministerios, Bloco T
70712-902 - Brasilia - DF, Brasil
Fax: + 55 61 322 6817
Salutation: Vossa Excelencia

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Presidente da Republica
Palacio do Planalto
70150-900 – Brasilia - DF
Brazil
Salutation: Vossa Excelencia

COPIES SENT TO:

Roberto Abdenur
Ambassador to the U.S.
Brazilian Embassy in Washington, DC
3006 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC
20008-3634
Fax: (202) 238-2827
ambassador@brasilemb.org
Salutation: Dear Mr. Embassador

Please send copies of your appeals, and any responses you may receive, or direct any questions you may have to Victoria Baxter, AAAS Science and Human Rights Program, 1200 New York Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20005; tel. 202-326-6797; email vbaxter@aaas.org; or fax 202-289-4950.

The keys to effective appeals are to be courteous and respectful, accurate and precise, impartial in approach, and as specific as possible regarding the alleged violation and the international human rights standards and instruments that apply to the situation. Reference to your scientific organization and professional affiliation is always helpful.

To ensure that appeals are current and credible, please do not continue to write appeals on this case after 90 days from the date of the posting unless an update has been issued.

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