Indigenous peoples of Brazil gather in the nation’s capital to fight for land demarcation

The indigenous people’s movement has begun a national mobilization to accompany the trial at the Federal Supreme Court (STF) that may define the future of indigenous land demarcation in Brazil. Scheduled for August 25, the hearing will deliberate on the Civil Action 1100, which will decide over the annulment of the demarcation of the Indigenous Land Ibirama Laklaño, of the Xokleng people, in Alto Vale do Itajaí, Santa Catarina state. Its result is decisive because it may or may not validate the fallacious “thesis” of the Marco Temporal, defended by the rural caucus. The thesis says that in order to be valid, a indigenous land needed to be fully occupied in 1988, when the Federal Constitution was approved. This violates indigenous population’s original right to land, besides the fact that the action has “general repercussion” status – which means that its result will be valid for other similar cases.

Set up in Brasilia until August 28, the “Fight for Life” camp seeks to “claim rights and promote acts against the anti-indigenous agenda that is underway in the National Congress and is promoted by the Federal Government”, according to the advisory board of the Indigenous Peoples of Brazil Network (Apib).