Für die Sache der indigenen Völker

Commitment to indigenous peoples

The current situation of indigenous peoples after eight years of the Fernando Henrique Cardoso administration is difficult and marked by the neglect and omission of the State. Lands to be demarcated, murders without punishment, most indigenous lands invaded by non-indigenous people, among other problems, illustrate the predicament of indigenous people, which the next president will have to tackle.

During the electoral campaign, all the candidates made their promises and presented different governmental programs to their voters based on the ideology of their party, on economic interests, and on the exchange of support with other parties, unions, social movements, and representatives of civil society.

Lula presented the governmental program of his coalition (Workers' Party, Communist Party of Brazil, Liberal Party, National Mobilization Party, and Brazilian Communist Party) through a series of publications combined in the "Governmental Program Documents." Some of these proposals have become thematic documents. The indigenous issue is one of the themes addressed in them.

With 16 pages, the thematic document "Commitment with Indigenous Peoples" that was launched on the eve of the first ballot of the presidential election announced that "the indigenous policy of the Brazilian Government requires deep and substantial changes to meet the yearnings of indigenous peoples."

Among the main challenges to be faced by the Lula administration in relation to indigenous peoples, the land issue is included. As a matter of fact, Lula is perfectly aware of some critical situations, such as that of the Xukuru in the state of Pernambuco and that of the Makuxi and Wapixana in the Raposa/Serra do Sol area in the state of Roraima. These were some of the lands he visited in recent years.

Source: Cimi Indianist Missionary Council October 31, 2002