Number 190, August 3, 1995

INDIGENOUS ISSUES

Newsletter n. 169

COMLA EMPHASIZES ACTION OF MISSIONARIES

IN SUPPORT OF INDIAN PEOPLES

The participation of Indian representatives was an important

feature of the 5th Latin American Missionary Congress, COMLA, which

was held between the 18th and the 23rd of July in the city of Belo

Horizonte. The Congress brought together 3,500 persons to discuss the

topic ''The Gospel in the Cultures: path of life and hope''. The

COMLAs are held at four-year intervals in different countries with the

aim of disseminating the evangelization initiatives taken by churches

of Latin America and the Caribbean. One of the conclusions that was

reached at the 5th COMLA is that missionaries are to work with Indian

peoples in support of their right to life and to a land to live in. In

addition, evangelization actions are to preserve the values of Indian

peoples, which represent 7% of the population of the Americas,

considering them as subjects of their own history.

During the meeting, which was attended by missionaries from CIMI,

the Indians handed out a document called ''Evangelization in Indian

Cultures'', which evaluates Catholic evangelization actions among

Indian peoples. They asked the Church to definitively assume the

position of supporting the fight for the demarcation of Indian lands

and said that ''this is what we regard as Good News''.The commitment

was expressed in a petition signed by all the participants in COMLA 5

which will be delivered to president Fernando Henrique Cardoso and to

the minister of Justice, Nelson Jobim, asking them to preserve and

respect Decree 22/91 in its present version. The decree regulates the

administrative procedure to be adopted in the demarcation of Indian

lands.

Regarding the evangelization of Indians, they highlighted the need

to know the mystery of the faith of each people. ''We Indians express

our religion within our own culture. The power of our resistance lies

in our culture''.

CIR INTENSIFIES CAMPAIGN FOR THE

DEMARCATION OF RAPOSA/SERRA DO SOL AREA

As part of the Campaign, the Indian Council of Roraima - CIR -

promoted yesterday the ''First Meeting on the Demarcation of Indian

Lands and the Development of the Municipality of Normandia'', which

was attended by the mayor, aldermen, and organized groups of the

Municipality.

CIR's coordinator, Nelino Gale', regards the meeting as a very

important opportunity to clarify that Indian peoples are not a

hindrance to the economic development of the regions, an argument used

by anti-Indian forces to oppose the demarcation of the Raposa/Serra do

Sol Indian area. On August 10-11, another seminar will discuss the

participation of Indians in the development of the state of Roraima.

The seminar will also discuss two very important points for Indian

communities: self-sustainability projects for the communities and the

need to preserve the culture of the peoples involved. The Raposa/Serra

do Sol area was identified in May of 1993. It comprises 1,670,810

hectares, where two-thousand families and about 10,000 Indians live.

Brasilia, July 27, 1995

Indianist Missionary Council

- Hunger Among Indigenous Population in Brazil Increasing

Hunger among Brazilian Indigenous is increasing according to the Institute of Social Economics(Inesc). A recent study shows that hunger within the Indigenous tribes has increased 20% over the last 12 months. According to Ricardo Verdun, coordinator of the study, "We didn't have illusions that the situation would have improved but the reality is worse than we expected."

The situation is critical in the Center-West and Northeast of Brazil where 84.62% and 83.9% of the indigenous, respectively, are hungry. In the Southeast, 48.82% experience hunger and 6.89% of the Indigenous in the South experience difficulties securing adequate alimentation. It is not by chance that the tribes of the Northern region of the country, many of which are isolated from contact with Non-Indigenous, suffer less. Only 3.16% of the indigenous from North experience hunger. Of the total 129,858 indigenous surveyed, more than half, 58.73%, have insufficient alimentation. "The majority of the reserves need to be amplified, with hunting and fishing areas protected", says Verdun.

REFLECTION ON THE DEBT

On July 27th, 1995, 12 North American, British and Tanzanian

missioners and NGO workers gathered to reflect the theme of "Debt

and its Effects on the Brazilian People". The timing of the

event was chosen because in October both the World Bank and the

International Monetary Fund are having their annual meetings in

Washington, DC. A Coalition of Religious groups has invited

people from around the world to prepare banners to be carried

during a solemn demonstration that will take place during these

meetings. The group shared stories of how world monetary and

economic policy especially structural adjustment have affected

the people with whom they live and work. The following are the

worksheets we used to reflect on the issue. For more information

on organizing around the issue contact the U.S. 50 Years is

Enough Campaign at E-mail: wb50years@igc.apc.org

OVERALL FACTS

Over the last 100 years, the largest economic growth and worst income distribution in the world have coexisted in Brazil.

Brazil is the 9th largest economy in the world but rates 63rd on the UN scale for living conditions.

Brazil has a $130 billion debt, the largest in Latin America.

Despite repaying $121 billion from 1980-87, $81 billion in interest alone, Brazil's overall debt more than doubled during

that time period.

There is a net OUTFLOW of resources from Brazil to the World Bank. From 1985 to 1994, Brazil made $16 billion in debt

repayments and received $8.2 billion in new loans.

Brazil has 206 WB projects, the largest number of any country.

Brazil has the 3rd largest dollar amount of loans from the WB - $22 Billion

Half of the projects in Brazil are 5 years behind schedule or stalled.

In the 60s and 70s, the WB and Brazilian dictatorship shared a passion for large investments in infrastructure projects. Big ticket items such a large dams and iron ore deposits mainly benefitted industry at the expense of local populations and the environment.

Excerpts from

BRASIL: A PIOR DISTRIBUICAO DE RENDA DO PLANETA

Schilling, Paulo CEDI/KOINONIA

STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT

Goal -- Economic "stabilization" and increased "productive

capacity" of economy (hidden true agendas --Repayment of debt &

concentration of capital in hands of powerful, private economic

sectors)

Main Objectives - Control Inflation & Reduce Deficit by increasing exports and decreasing government spending.

HOW

A. Reduction in demand by decreasing amount of money in

people's hands

1. Tightening control on credit

B. Dismissal of public workers

C. Reduction of state intervention in the economy.

1. elimination fixed interest rates and price controls

2. elimination of minimun wages

3. privatization of state enterprises

D. Devaluation of currency in order to increase exports

E. Decrease in government social spending

Neoliberalism Assumption -- Concentration of capital and profits in the hands of a few powerful, private economic sectors will lead to growth through greater efficiency and productivity in the economy. Private enterprise is the engine of the economy.

Government should keep her hands off.(Laissez Faire)

Structural Adjustment measures in order to concentrate capital and profits

1. Decrease in real purchasing power of wages

2. Dramatic reduction in government social expenditures

3. Decrease in taxes paid by private businesses

4. Elimination of price controls

5. Privatization of lucrative state enterprises

STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT IN BRAZIL

Began in 1981, accelerated under Collor with privatization and

deregulation measures

Results:

* 25% decrease in purchasing power of wages between 1988-92

* official unemployment jumped from 8.4% to 14.6% between 1987-92

* Income concentration increased (stats. for rural area)

In 1986, 5% richest gain 37.6 % of income

In 1990, 5% richest increased their income to 39.1%

In 1986, 50% poorest received 8.4% of income

in 1990, 50% poorest received 7.0%

Translated from "O Neoliberalismo -- Ou o mecanismo para fabricar

mais pobres entre os pobres" PEDEX (Programa Educativo Divida

Externa)

WOMEN - Falling wages, increased unemployment, and cut in

government social services hit women particularly hard

* The fall in wages and rise in unemployment have forced women to seek multiple jobs outside the home in order to clothe and feed their families.

1. over 1/3 of the Brazilian working population earn less

than one minimum salary.

2. Real value of wages(purchasing power) has sharply

decreased since 1960 in Brazil

1960-- only 27% of the minimum wage was needed to buy the basic

food basket

1992-- The basic food basket requires 78% of minimum wage

3. Brazilian workers earn 10% of colleagues from northern

industrialized countries.

* From 1980 to 1990 the percentage of Latin American women in the workforce has increased from 20% to 38%.

* Even though this has offered an important source of income and independence for women, many have been forced to accept jobs with the following characteristics:

1. low wages

2. poor working conditions

3. unprotected by collective negotiated contracts

5. largely in the informal and export sectors

6. earnings are frequently 50-80 percent below those of men's

* At the same time, drastic cuts in government social services have forced women to spend more time and energy meeting the health, education, and nutrition needs of their families and

communities. For example, women all over Latin America have been forced to organize soup kitchens to feed their families as a result of loss in real wages and cuts in government food subsidies.

Since 1980, Latin American government spending on average has decreased 50% and 25% in education and health, respectively. The Brazilian government spends $60 per citizen on health care while the U.S. government spends $2,400.

The economic insecurity and growing demands on women's time are provoking stress-related psychological and physical illnesses such as anxiety, depression , and migraines. Traditional forms of support and solidarity have broken down due to individualism and growing competition in the work place and community.

Excerpts from OXFAM's report "Economic Reform and Inequality in

Latin America" February, 1995

URBANIZATION - Wave of rural-urban migration leads to 3,000

Favelas

In the last 30 years, the rural/urban populations' percentages have completely inverted. In 1960, 75% of Brazilians lived in rural areas and only 25% lived in the city. Today, 75% live in large cities while only 25% remain in the countryside. This mass migration has led to the "favelization" of the cities. The huge influx of poor rural workers has stretched urban government services and created masses of unemployed or under- employed.

WHY?

Lack of access to land , credit, infrastructure and fair markets have pushed thousands towards the cities. Periodic droughts, exacerbated by political corruption, have also led to mass migration of starving "nordestinos" (people from the NorthEast) to the urban centers.

In Latin America, 31% of rural households have no land at all. Many others suffer from a severe land shortage due to high

concentration of land in the hands of a few elite. The rural

poor have to rent land, sharecrop, or find work as farm laborers.

Lack of access to land is one of the key causes of poverty and is

at the heart of much of the violence and conflict.

In Brazil, 44% of the arable land is occupied by large

"latifundios" (large ranches) with over 1,000 hectares. There are 10 million people "Sem Terra." (Landless)

Current World Bank strategies have failed to address the land distribution issue. WB policies of market deregulation and trade liberalization have often skewed benefits to the rich. Peasant organizations across Latin America are being expected to

compete, often without access to credit or technical assistance,

in an unequal international market, which is dominated by cheap,

heavily subsidized, US and EU exports of staples such as maize

and wheat.

In Brazil, soy production for export skyrocketed from 1 to 23 million tons from 1970 to 1989. During that same period,

production of basic food crops for internal consumption such as

rice, beans, and "farinha de mandioca" (cassava flour) dramatically decreased.

The benefits of World Bank led agricultural export drives have been largely captured by the rich at the expense of poor rural workers. This export led expansion has often either displaced the poor or provided them with poorly paid, insecure employment. Many lost their land following rapid liberalization and the transfer of state support from small farmers to agribusiness. The expansion of agribusiness has depended on employers keeping wages by drawing on a large mass of temporary farm workers with few rights.

Resistance through organizing unions and peasant groups has been met with extreme violence.

** It is important to note here that one of the goals of

increasing exports is to earn money to make debt repayments. The

problem is that the same remedy is being prescribed in all

indebted Southern countries so the world market has been flooded

with the same commodities which has led to dramatic decrease in

prices.

Excerpts from OXFAM's report "Economic Reform and Inequality in

Latin America" February, 1995

RACIAL ISSUES

This is a follow-up to our article last week about the 300th anniversary of the death of Zumbi dos Palmares.

- Letter from Present-day quilombos

1995 is an important year for all the black population of Brazil. It is 300 years since Zumbi was killed, and 400 years since the quilombo Palmares came into existence. These are uplifting moments in the history of the black people of Brazil, showing the courage, resistance, organization and, especially, the struggle in defense of sacred rights: Land, Freedom, Political Participation and Equality in the Exercising of Rights. Black people have always been victims of a racist elite who sought to determine their freedom and become the owners of the lands of those who lived and worked on them: Blacks, Indigenous people and excluded persons in general. Through injustice and manipulation, great tracts of land were taken over by a half dozen priviledged persons who relegated to the hovels and shantytowns the millions who were disinherited by the nation. In this process, hundreds of groups of indigenous and of quilombo dwellers were wiped out by way of fire and sword. However, in spite of being negated in the country's official history, quilombos did exist in the whole of Brazil, proof of black resistance against oppression.

At the present time there is a move towards eradicating the territories of the Remaining Black Quilombo Communities - the "Lands of the Blacks" (Terras de Preto) or present-day quilombos - from the map of Brazil. A people who suffer the oppression of great landowners, mining companies, lumber companies and who struggle for the right to live on the land which belonged to their ancestors in the quilombos. The existence, as well as the rights, of hundreds of Black Rural Communities, who descend from the quilombos all over Brazil, are denied by the State. In spite of the rights which are recognized in the Brazilian Constitution, so far no black community descending from a quilombo has been granted the collective title deeds to lands which have been theirs for centuries.

Brazilian society has a 500-year debt towards the Afro-Brazilian population. It is inadmissible that the State should continue to deny these rights, it has a duty to enforce the law and to guarantee that the descendants of the quilombos be granted the title deeds to their lands.

Because of this situation we, the participants in the Fourth Meeting of Black Rural Communities: Quilombos and Lands of Blacks in Maranhao, gathered together in April 1995, representing the Black Rural Communities, the Black Movement and Entities of the Civil Society from nine Brazilian states, propose that the free and productive occupation of the land, one of the cornerstones of the epic history of Palmares should be rescued during the Tri-centenary of Zumbi dos Palmares. This means struggling to obtain definitely the title deeds of the lands occupied by the quilombos. The 300 years of Zumbi's immortality should be celebrated with the immediate granting of land titles to the quilombo descendants, thus obeying the Federal Constitution and paying a debt which is owed to the Afro-Brazilian population.

300 years of Zumbi dos Palmares: Land for the quilombo communities. Present-day Quilombos: The Struggle for Citizenship. 1995 - National Year of Black Consciousness

INDIGENOUS ISSUES

- United Nations Consultant rejected by Indigenous

"The Indigenous people of Rondonia do not accept the technical advice of the consultant contracted by the UNDP (UN Development Program), Mauro Leonel, for the Technical Cooperation Program of Planafloro". This is the position of Almir Surui, Coordinator of the Indigenous Union of Rondonia, North of Mato Grosso and South of Amazonas (CUNPIR). According to Almir, the UNDP consultant is working towards the de-stabilizing of the political leadership of the CUNPIR, putting the Indians against their leaders. He is also "using his influence as consultor for the UNDP, in order to contract his own people for the indigenous health program of the Planafloro, without a tender", said Antenor de Assis Karitiana, also of the CUNPIR.

Surui says that Mauro Leonel's name is linked to massacres of Indigenous peoples in Rondonia. He was a consultant for the World Bank during the time when the Integrated Program for Development of the Northwest of Brasil was in effect, when thousands of Indigenous were decimated in order to bring about the "progress" which that program promised. The position of not accepting Mauro Leonel for the post of consultant of the UNDP to work with the Indigenous communities through the Planafloro was taken at the General Assembly of the CUNPIR. The Indigenous argued that they cannot trust Mauro Leonel, nevertheless he was confirmed in the post by the World Bank and the UNDP. The Indigenous community sent messages to the UNDP and the World Bank in Washington advising of their position.

- More deaths than births

8268 Brazilian Yanomamis, who live in 188 communities in the states of Roraima and Amazonas, are in very bad health. During the last seven years there were 2200 deaths, approximately 21% of the population. The mortality rate grew from 14.6% in 1993 to 18.5% in 1994, and the birth rate fell from 34.9% to 30.1% during the same period, according to data given by the Yanomami Sanitation District of the National Health Foundadion. Amongst the diseases, malaria is responsible for the largest number of deaths. Aggravated by the invasion of gold prospectors, affects 80% of the Yanomami population. The CIMI (Indigianist Missionary Council) believe it is not a matter of not knowing the reasons for the situation that is the problem but the lack of "political will" in order to solve it.

Davi Yanomami, one of the leaders of the Yanomami, during a speech in the Commission for Minorities and Environment of the Federal Government in Brasilia said: "The gold prospectors who are there never left, and they continue to come in. My message to you is that I will return to the struggle. We will make a lot of noise again in the whole of Brazil. You do not want to leave us in peace, you have always perturbed us because we are defending our rights".

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