About 13% of Brazil’s lands belong to Indigenous territories, which were guaranteed through the country’s 1988 Constitution. On June 23rd, 2021, a proposal was approved by the lower Brazillian Parliament that could significantly decrease this percentage. If followed through by the Federal Supreme Court, the bill could jeopardize the existing land rights that the Natives possess - it could impact around 23,000 hectares belonging to Brazilian Natives.
Proposed Law #490/2007 is a bill that endangers several regions under the ancestral rights of various tribes. It seeks to limit and weaken the boundaries of Aboriginal lands through a “temporal mark doctrine” or a time limit trick. This states that Indigenous people only hold authority over areas they physically occupied on October 5th, 1988, the date of the proclamation of the Brazilian Federal Constitution. Such a concept was introduced by the country’s agribusiness lobby — their main motivation being the economic exploitation of vast resources including logs, minerals, and land found in the Amazon rainforest.
After the acceptance of the act by the parliamentary committee, Indigenous communities brought about 850 of their people to the capital city of Brazil. They protested against the assault on their constitutional rights with banners, chants, and songs, rooted in their respective cultures. The government, including the National Indian Foundation of Brazil, retaliated by deploying police forces using rubber bullets and tear gas bombs on rallying individuals; children, adults, and elders alike.
So far, the Brazillian Supreme Court, which was supposed to either affirm or deny the bill on the 30th of June, has chosen to hold off on court discussions until August 25th.
With a lack of attention from mainstream media, online advocates have used “#PL490Não” on social media platforms like Twitter, Tiktok, and Instagram to spread awareness of the current events. It comes from the name of the bill itself, Proposed Law #490/2007, and the word “não”, meaning no in Portuguese. As an international force, we can use this hashtag to aid Indigenous people in placing public pressure on the Brazillian government. This will help protect Aboriginal rights both decreed by the 1988 Constitution of Brazil and inherent to their communities. More than ever, we need to better amplify the Indigenous people’s voices in support of their resolute and unwavering resistance against the continued exploitation of their natural lands and heritage.
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Published July 29, 2021
Written by Mariana Masangkay ~ Edited by Antonia Heroiu & Anvita Chitrapu ~ Graphics created by Elwin Fu
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