Published: 16 March 2009
Protect Uncontacted Tribe’s Land Plea
A desperate plea for the protection of uncontacted Indians’ land in western Paraguay has been issued by nine local organisations after round-table talks sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme.
‘The presence of the uncontacted Totobiegosode (in the forest) is proof that it is, and always has been, their land,’ says a statement from the nine organisations. ‘The invasion of that land by a company and its deforestation and destruction constitutes an aggression against the tribe and the appropriation of their property.
The Paraguayan state, in accordance with the national constitution and international norms… must meet its obligation to return the Totobiegosode’s land to them in one piece, not in fragments,’ the statement continues.
The Totobiegosode’s land is being destroyed by two Brazilian companies wanting to graze cattle for beef: Yaguarete Pora and River Plate.
The number of uncontacted Totobiegosode is unknown, but some of them have relatives who have already been contacted.
These Totobiegosode have been trying to protect the last substantial part of their territory since 1993 when they filed a legal claim for 5,500 square kilometres.
The nine local organisations include OPIT (the organization of those Totobiegosode who have already been contacted) and GAT, a local support group.
Survival director, Stephen Corry, said:
“The government must heed the demands of the Totobiegosode and the local organisations working in their support. It must recognise the Totobiegosode as the legal owners of their land and ensure the Brazilian companies can’t work there”.
Meanwhile, another news story from the area concerns a leading government minister who has rejected the election of an indigenous man as Paraguay’s new Minister of Indigenous Affairs.
The rejection comes after the government announced that Paraguay’s indigenous peoples could elect the Minister of Indigenous Affairs themselves.
The winner of the elections was a Nivakle man named Erasmos Pintos. But Education and Culture minister Horacio Galeano Perrone responded immediately by saying that Pintos would not be appointed minister and that the elections were fraudulent.
‘I was chosen by 1,800 voters. The other candidates have already recognised that I am the winner,’ Pintos was reported to have said in response to Perrone’s comments.
Pintos stressed that his election was fair and that he intended to talk to President Lugo and make clear Paraguay’s indigenous peoples’ point of view.
The outgoing Minister of Indigenous Affairs, Margarita Mbywangi, was the first ever indigenous person to be appointed to the position. She was forced out at the end of last year.
Further information
Related articles
To find a business you can trust, click on the related categories below: