05/23/2024 – 21:35
The president of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR), judge Nancy Hernandéz, stated this Thursday (23) that she saw significant advances in the Brazilian State’s approach to the humanitarian crisis in Yanomami territory. In October 2023, a delegation from the IACHR visited the indigenous land in Roraima.
“We see significant and substantial advances in addressing the Yanomami problem. The meeting we just had is a complete 180-degree turnaround in the situation, where we see articulated policies, work plans and results already on the ground. A structural, continuous and sustainable approach to the Brazilian State, which gives us great satisfaction”, informed the judge, who is visiting Brazil this week.
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Judge Nancy Hernandéz met today, in Brasília, with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and with the team from the Special Secretariat for Articulation of the Civil House, which coordinates actions on indigenous land. The IACHR monitors the situation of the Yanomami and has already issued two recommendations to the government on how to address the issue, one in July 2022 and the other in December 2023.
A delegation from the international court went to the indigenous territory last year and hopes to make another trip by the end of this year, said judge Nancy Hernandéz. The judge added, on the other hand, that she still needs to gather more information about the case.
“It is also up to us to listen to the other parties, the representatives of the Yanomami people and other indigenous peoples as well, to corroborate the information, impressions and we will continue to continue with these open provisional measures”, added the president of the IACHR.
“However, the advances presented to us today seem to reflect great articulation and commitment from the government, but evidently the same government recognizes that many actions still need to be carried out”, he concluded.
Yanomami case
In recent years, the expansion of mining and invaders on Yanomami lands has worsened the crisis for the indigenous people. In January last year, the repercussions of humanitarian crisis experienced by the approximately 27 thousand indigenous people in the region caused a national commotion.
According to data from the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples, in 2022 alone, 99 Yanomami children under the age of 5 died, in most cases due to malnutrition, pneumonia and diarrhea. Yanomami Land occupies more than 9 million hectares and extends across the states of Roraima and Amazonas. It is the largest indigenous reserve in the country.
Still in January 2023, the government decreed public health emergency situation in the territory and the Federal Police (PF), also in January of last year, established a inquiry to investigate possible genocide, failure to provide assistance, among other possible crimes against the Yanomami.
One year after the state of emergency was declared, the situation of the Yanomami people remained critical, with the population’s health problems and the presence of mining continuing, according to the Indigenous Missionary Council (Cimi).
Faced with this scenario, the federal government created, in January this year, a permanent structureand, centered on the Civil House of the Presidency, to coordinate actions and services aimed at these indigenous people. For 2024, the budget foreseen for these actions was calculated at R$1.2 billion.
Later this year, the Chamber of Deputies created an External Commission to monitor the situation of the Yanomami people. The Commission was criticized by indigenous groups, who argued that it was made up only of deputies opposed to agendas linked to indigenous peoples.
This week, the president of the Chamber of Deputies, deputy Arthur Lira (PP-AL), changed the composition of the board to include indigenous parliamentarian Célia Xakriabá (PSOL-MG). The commission’s first session is scheduled for June 5th, when the collegiate’s work plan must be voted on.
IACHR
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights is one of the regional courts for the protection of human rights. It is an autonomous judicial institution, with the objective of applying the American Convention on Human Rights, an international treaty that provides freedoms and rights that must be respected by the States that have adopted this Convention.
In addition to Brazil, countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Haiti, Mexico, Jamaica, Peru, Grenada, among others, have ratified this treaty.
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