Brazil indigenous leader's killing raises tension

Brazil indigenous leader's killing raises tension
3 September 2015

The Brazilian justice minister has condemned the killing of an indigenous leader who was shot during a land protest in the state of Matto Grosso do Sul.

More than a week ago around 1,000 members of the Guarani-Kaiowa community occupied ranches in the area.

The leader was shot when farmers tried to retake an occupied farm on Saturday.

In 2005 the Supreme Court declared that the area where the violence is taking place belonged to the Guarani.

. . .

Brazil's constitution required the government to map out all indigenous territory and return it for their exclusive use by 1993, but the majority of Guarani lands remains in the hands of the ranchers.

Many Guarani are forced to live in overcrowded reserves or in makeshift camps on the roadside where malnutrition, disease and suicide are high.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-34135943

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Brazil: Guarani man assassinated by gunmen as tensions rise
2 September 2015

A Guarani Indian leader has been shot dead in west-central Brazil, one week after his community reoccupied part of their ancestral land. The community had warned that they could be killed, after being surrounded by gunmen.

Semião Vilhalva was killed on Saturday during an attack on Nanderu Marangatu community, by gunmen hired by ranchers – and reportedly in the presence of government agents.

A one-year-old baby was struck in the head by a baton round, and others are reported to be injured.

The community’s ancestral land is now occupied by a ranch owned by Roseli Silva, leader of a ranchers’ union which encourages violence to keep the Indians off their land.

. . .

The Guarani association Aty Guasu said, “These ranchers and politicians are encouraging hatred, violence and the killing of Guarani people. They are cruel and must be punished!”

Much of the Guarani tribe’s land was stolen from the Indians decades ago. Brazil’s constitution required the government to map out all indigenous territory and return it for their exclusive use by 1993, but the majority of the Guarani’s land remains in the hands of the ranchers.

. . .

Last month, the United Nations demanded urgent action for the Guarani, amidst the ranchers’ “campaign to spread psychological terror,” but the Brazilian authorities failed to provide the necessary protection.

http://www.survivalinternational.org/news/10891

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Guarani man Semião Vilhalva was murdered by ranchers'
gunmen after his community reoccupied parts of their ancestral land.
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