Brazilian authorities launched an operation this Monday to begin evict nearly 1,600 families who illegally occupy two indigenous lands in the Amazonto return separate territories to the native peoples.
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The illegally occupied areas, both located in the Amazon state of Pará, are indigenous lands Apyterewawhich has been protected since 2007, and Trench Bacajáwhat is for exclusive use of indigenous people since 1996according to a statement from the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples.
Both territories have a combined area of 2.4 million hectares and are home to about 2,500 indigenous people of the Parakanã, Mebengôkre Kayapó and Xikrim ethnic groups, who live in 51 villages.
The situation is not easy, but any illegal occupation is a crime and Brazilian legislation must be complied with.
“The situation is not easy, but any illegal occupation is a crime and Brazilian legislation has to be complied with,” declared the Minister of Indigenous Peoples, Sônia Guajajara, during an interview on public radio, who said she had identified 32 indigenous lands with invaders.
The Ministry also highlighted that there are records of indigenous people who live isolated in these jungle territories and who have been contacted recently.
The authorities are working to non-indigenous people leave the region peacefully and voluntarilyas in other similar operations carried out at the beginning of this year.
Some of the illegal settlers are engaged in activities such as cattle raising and the illegal minery and have contributed to the illegal logging in the zone.
These illegal activities have led the Apyterewa indigenous land to top the list of territories with higher rates of deforestation, he underlined the note.
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How is the eviction carried out?
Several police forces and several organizations dedicated to the protection of indigenous peoples and the environment participate in the operation.
The president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has resumed the protection policy of indigenous peopleswith measures such as the demarcation of territories and the expulsion of illegal settlers.
The demarcation of indigenous territories was completely paralyzed during the four years of government of the far-right Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022), who also promoted measures to allow the exploitation of minerals in those areasdespite the fact that they are protected by environmental laws.
EFE
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