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Brazil: Victory for indigenous people

Brazil's Supreme Court has made a final historic ruling that will ensure the indigenous people of Raposa Serra do Sol can keep control of their own land

Judges have ruled to maintain the indigenous land in the Brazilian northern border state of Roraima as a “single, continuous territory”, which means that the powerful land occupiers will have to leave.

In addition, the president of the court also accused the government of failing the indigenous people, and said the ruling should set a precedent for indigenous land rights.

Protection of land

My hope now is they will be able to live in peace on their own land and their children will grow up without the constant threat of violence

Anne Marie Hanlon, CAFOD

For decades, indigenous communities living in Raposa Serra do Sol have been calling on the Brazilian government to protect their land,.

The territory stretches more than 1.7m hectares (4.2m acres) along the Venezuelan border and is home to up to 20,000 indigenous people, whose population is growing.

In 2005, the Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, officially recognised the land as belonging to the Macuxi, Ingaricó, Taurepang, Patamona and Wapichana groups – but powerful rice farmers, who occupy a significant part of it, have refused to leave the area.

The indigenous communities claim they have been subjected to violence and intimidation from famers for many years, and tensions have increased in recent months.

In June 2008, more than 2,000 CAFOD supporters signed a petition supporting the indigenous communities after a visit to the UK by campaign leaders Jacir José de Souza - from our partner the Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR) - and Pierlangela Nascimento da Cunha from the Wapichana community

This was the third occasion the court had met to consider the issue and, as well as voting in favour of the indigenous people by ten votes to one, the judges were highly critical of the “neglect” shown by Brazil’s government to the indigenous communities.

Gilmar Mendes, president of the court, said: "We've established a statute that has to be applied not only in the Raposa Serra do Sol case, but also in other cases of demarcation. It is a complete neglect of public responsibility."

CAFOD welcomes the ruling as a firm step in the right direction and will continue supporting the indigenous communities of Raposa Serra do Sol in making sure the ruling becomes a reality.

Anne Marie Hanlon, CAFOD Hexham & Newcastle manager, who campaigned with CIR during their UK visit says: “My hope now is they will be able to live in peace on their own land and their children will grow up without the constant threat of violence.”