Rule governing wood extraction on Brazil’s indigenous lands revoked

Brazil’s federal government revoked an administrative measure passed during the administration of former president Jair Bolsonaro on the exploitation of wood on indigenous lands. The rule was yet to take real effect, as it did not come into force until last weekend.

According to Brazil’s indigenous authority Funai, the move introduced last year violated both the Constitution and the Indigenous Statute, in addition to breaking international treaties joined by the country. One of these compacts is Convention 169, of the International Labor Organization, which stipulates prior consultation with indigenous leaders—which has not been observed, federal officials argue.

The norm

Last month, while still subordinated to the Ministry of Justice and Public Safety, Funai justified the enactment of the norm by assuring it “established the guidelines and procedures for sustainable forest management on indigenous lands.”

The authorization for indigenous or mixed organizations to conduct extractive activities in areas of exclusive use by indigenous peoples would lead, Funai stated, to more “income generation” in villages and help tackle illegal deforestation. The foundation also guaranteed that the communities would be heard and the management would be duly inspected.

New administration

Now under President Lula, the agency released a new note Monday (Jan. 16) stating it had found that the indigenous groups affected had either not been consulted regarding the projects or not consented to the projects presented by mixed organizations.

In her personal Twitter account, the Minister of Indigenous Peoples, Sônia Guajajara, reiterated that the new government is committed to protecting indigenous territories.