Cultural Survival Urgently Calls on the Federal Government to Take Immediate Action to Complete Demarcation of Indigenous Lands 

Cultural Survival denounces another criminal act and demands a definitive solution for the Guarani Kaiowá Peoples in Mato Grosso do Su, Brazil. This week, as of September 18, 2024,  a violent police action against the Nhanderu Marangatu Indigenous community led to the death of Neri Ramos da Silva (Guarani Kaiowá), a 23-year-old father of an 11-month-old baby. Like many others who have been the subjects of violence, Ramos was advocating for Indigenous land demarcation.

To the Guarani Peoples, we express our deep condolences and indignation over violence against the Guarani community in the Nhanderu Marangatu Indigenous land, and especially to Ramos’ family.

The Guarani and Kaiowá situation has worsened due to the Brazilian State’s failure to uphold their rights. In 2015, UN Special Rapporteur Victoria Tauli-Corpuz urged the federal government to fully respect the human rights of Guarani and Kaiowá people in accordance with international standards. In early 2024, Jan Jarab, head of the UN South America Human Rights Office, condemned attacks on the Guarani Kaiowá and called for the urgent completion of demarcation processes.

Roseli Ruiz, a local landowner involved in multiple conflicts against Indigenous Peoples, was shockingly appointed as a “specialist” for an upcoming Supreme Court (STF) hearing on the constitutionality of the “Marco Temporal” (a temporal framework that includes several bills that undermine Constitutional rights of Indigenous Peoples). Ruiz, known for producing fraudulent anthropological reports, highlights the State’s complicity in impeding land demarcation.

According to a 2022 report by CIMI, 146 Indigenous people were murdered in Mato Grosso do Sul, a state dominated by agribusiness. This violence reflects the federal government’s inaction and the justice system’s slowness in protecting Indigenous lives and rights.

Cultural Survival urgently calls on the federal government to take immediate action:

• Complete the demarcation of Guarani Peoples’ lands in Mato Grosso do Sul, 
• Provide protection to Indigenous communities, 
• Hold accountable those responsible for violence and the systemic violations of Indigenous rights,
• Take effective measures to prevent future acts of violence, for example demarcating land and guaranteeing the safety of vulnerable communities and Indigenous Peoples.

The time for decisive action is now, before more lives are lost!

Photo courtesy of CIMI.