The World Bank will take a stand on Decree 1,775 in two weeks.
This was the main result of the meeting between representatives of the
Bank and of the Council for the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples and
Organizations of Brazil (Capoib) that was held on Tuesday, February 6.
In the meeting, that was held at the request of the Indians, a
document was delivered to the representatives of the World Bank
requesting the temporary suspension of funds to be released to the
Indigenous Lands Project, Panafloro and Prodeagro. The indigenous
representatives warned that ``the implementation of any plan or
project to legalize and demarcate indigenous lands according to the
true interests and rights of indigenous peoples may be jeopardized as
long as the present Indianist policy remains in force, which today is
essentially based on Decree 1,775/96.''
According to Capoib, Brazil has adopted a deliberate policy to reduce indigenous territories, which includes the establishment of smooth mechanisms for states and municipalities, as well as invaders and other persons interested in indigenous lands, to contest the bounds of those territories. ``With the publication of Decree 1,775/96, the federal administration is clearly forsaking its constitutional duty to demarcate indigenous lands... demarcations are not being determined by indigenous rights, but rather by the alleged right of third parties and public powers to contest them,'' Capoib denounces. The representative of the World Bank in Brazil, Dennis Mahar, informed the indigenous leaders and entities attending the meeting that the legal department of the Bank is studying the new decree and that the position to be taken by the institution in relation to it will take into account the arguments that were presented at the meeting.
Last Monday, February 5, Minister Nelson Jobim took part in the first debate on the decree promoted by the newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo. In that debate, which was also attended by jurist Dalmo Dallari, who is against Decree 1,775, the Minister resorted to old arguments to defend it. Uncomfortable in the presence of an audience that tended to favor the revocation of Decree 1,775, the Minister revealed that he will not discuss the matter with anyone who is against the possibility of contesting the demarcation of indigenous areas. The Newspaper cited Cimi and Capoib as examples of entities criticized by Jobim.
Brasilia, February 9th, 1996
Indianist Missionary Council