Dispute Between Guaranis and Multinational Land 15 Brazilian Indians in Jail

Fifteen Tupinikim and Guarani indigenous people and seven non-indigenous people were arrested on August 9 in the city of Aracruz, state of EspÀ­rito Santo.

According to the information available so far, they were arrested because the indigenous people were removing eucalyptus from an area under dispute with the Aracruz Celulose corporation.

However, the individuals who were arrested and some military police officers said to the representative of the National Human Rights Movement that they were not in the area under dispute and that they had been attracted to it by military police officers.

Because of a dispute for the possession of a 11,000-hectare area between the Tupinikim and Guarani indigenous peoples and the Aracruz Celulose transnational company, an agreement was reached that none of the parties would be allowed to exploit the area until the regular administrative procedure for demarcating it is completed.

Lawyer Isaias Santana of the Human Rights Council of the State of Espí­rito Santo visited the location where the group is in prison and was informed – by indigenous people and police officers involved in the arrest – that the group was set up to be arrested in flagrante delicto.

"The indigenous people said that on the day they were arrested they were in an area they could be in and police officers induced them then go to the area under dispute telling them that a military police captain was waiting for them there for a meeting.

When they arrived there, there were staff of Visel carrying cameras to take pictures of them committing the supposedly illegal act. Visel employees actually helped to arrest them. They reported that private security guards were carrying weapons," said Santana in an interview to Cimi, the Indigenist Missionary Council.

Visel – Vigilância e Segurança Ltda. – is a private security company hired by Aracruz.

The lawyer also mentioned irregularities in the arrest: the individuals who were arrested were taken to a fort of the Military Police in Aracruz and not to the local police station (judiciary police), where they should have been taken.

The indigenous people also reported that when arrived to the fort, a team of reporters and cameramen of the Norte TV station was waiting for them there, raising suspicions on the true purpose of the police action.

Cimi

Tags:

You May Also Like

Lack of Education Brought Brazil a Communist President

Back to the English language issue. I feel deep sorrow for the monoglot. When ...

Brazil Learns It Needs Partners in the Arab World to Win That Market

To conquer the Arab market the Brazilian fashion sector companies's best option is to ...

How Violence and Neglect Destroyed My Favorite Corner of Brazil

As a young adult in the city of Fortaleza, Brazil, I had two favorite ...

Brazil’s Petrobras Signs Biodiesel Contracts. 65,000 Families to Be Benefited

Brazilian oil company Petrobras signed today with four private companies their first contracts for ...

Brazilian prostitute

Memories of My Good Friend, a Brazilian Whore

I had not thought to publicize my stroll through the world of prostitution until ...

Brazil on a Roll: US$ 100 Billion in Exports in 2005

The Brazilian minister of Development, Industry, and Foreign Trade, Luiz Fernando Furlan, said on ...

Brazil: Strikes Try Lula’s Party

The implications of Piauí Governor’s failure to navigate through an impending disaster could have ...

Brazilians Meet and Pray in New York

After the mass, which lasted just over an hour and ended with the distribution ...

Roasted coffee: that's where Brazil will find the money

World’s Largest Coffee Producer, Brazil Needs to Learn Art of Roasting

In 2006, Brazil consolidated its position as the world’s largest producer and exporter of ...

Brazil’s Modest Plan to Eradicate Favelas

Brazil’s Ministry of Cities will implant the Habitar Brasil (Inhabit Brazil) program for the ...

WordPress database error: [Table './brazzil3_live/wp_wfHits' is marked as crashed and last (automatic?) repair failed]
SHOW FULL COLUMNS FROM `wp_wfHits`