Lula plans to create program to fund indigenous farming
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said he intends to create a program to fund and increase indigenous agricultural production.
On Monday (Mar. 13), the president took part in the 52nd General Assembly of Indigenous Peoples, in the Raposa Serra do Sol indigenous territory, in the northern state of Roraima, and visited its fair of organic products and crafts as well as the exhibition of animals raised on indigenous lands.
“We can’t believe so much money has been lent for agricultural production in this country and no money has come for indigenous agriculture. I promise you I’ll deal with this with great care after I’m back in Brasília,” he declared.
The demarcation of indigenous lands is also on the government’s agenda. The Ministry of Indigenous Peoples and national indigenous authority Funai are surveying all areas ready to be demarcated, Lula reported. Ensuring native populations own their land, the president argued, is a powerful tool for environmental preservation and the fight against climate change, as they are “the guardians of the forest.”
Amazon countries
Later on this year, Lula pointed out, a meeting should be held with the presidents of the Amazon nations—Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru and Bolivia—“so we can discuss once and for all how we’re going to take care of our forests and how we can transform the richness of the biodiversity of the entire Amazon region for the benefit of the millions of people who live in the Amazon and die of hunger.”
“And, who knows, if we study how to competently explore its biodiversity in all of its wealth, we may find a way for the Amazon to guarantee its people decent jobs, decent salaries, and higher quality of life, in addition to the maintenance of the standing forest,” he added.
The Indigenous Peoples’ Council will also be making a comeback, because, Lula noted, it makes no sense to introduce policies “from the top down.” “We must respect your organization, so you can decide what we have to do and tell us what’s important and how we should go about taking action,” he remarked.
The Yanomami territory
Lula reaffirmed his commitment to the removal of miners from indigenous lands—especially the Yanomami territory in Roraima.
“The miners polluted the river water with mercury, and now we’re going to have to build artesian wells to bring quality water for the children to drink and not die from contamination,” the president said.
The government, Lula went on to declare, should create small health posts across all indigenous villages to ensure that the communities receive regular visits from doctors. In addition, medicines will be distributed free of charge. “It is up to the Brazilian government to guarantee that, besides the consultation, the examination, the hospital, you will have medication for dignified treatment as many other people in Brazil have,” President Lula said.
The president received a document with the demands listed during the event and said he will study what can be done by the government. Since Saturday (11), the assembly has brought together about 2 thousand indigenous leaders to discuss land protection, the environment, and sustainability.
