Indigenous Affairs 1/96

The first months of 1996 have been dominated by devastation facing the indigenous peoples of Brazil.

Justice Minister Nelson Johim in De­cree 1775. has opened up 344 reserves (57 percent of all indigenous territories in the country) to claims by any com­pany, local authority or individual. This not only threatens already demarcated lands and territories but allows the indigenous peoples affected no right of ap­peal. The indigenous peoples living, in the states of Amazonas Rondonia Para Mato Groso and Roraima are being in­vaded by loggers, gold-miners and agri­cultural settlers who are using the de­cree to hack their spurious claims. To make mailers even worse. reports say that Johim is promoting these claims and has listed 65 areas susceptible to take-over by colonists in Para and Amazonas.