MPF will open an investigation into attacks on indigenous people in MS

The MPF (Federal Public Ministry) will open a police investigation to investigate the attack by ruralists against Guarani and Kaiowá indigenous people in Mato Grosso do Sul, on Saturday (3.Aug.2024).

The agency sent a team to the Panambi Lagoa Rica indigenous community to gather information about the incident. At the site, the MPF spoke to indigenous people and rural producers and carried out an expert examination of the area. The agents collected projectiles and rubber bullets.

In a statement, the agency said that there is “conflicting reports” about the attack. “The indigenous people claim that they were provoked by the farmers, while the rural producers claim that the indigenous people advanced beyond the previously agreed area”said the MPF in a note sent to Poder360.

According to the MPF, the situation is “under control”. The agency expects that there will be an intervention by the federal government to address the issue of land demarcation in the region with the aim of achieving a “peaceful and definitive resolution” of the conflict.

ATTACK ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN MS

The Ministry of Indigenous Peoples received notifications on Saturday (3 August) that ruralists fired lethal ammunition and rubber bullets at the Guarani and Kaiowá community in Douradina, a municipality in Mato Grosso do Sul.

Eight people were injured, one of whom is in serious condition.

The attack occurred at the time when the National Force withdrew from the site. According to the Ministry of Justice, the agents went to patrol another area in the same region.

The indigenous people were in the Panambi Lagoa Rica territory, demarcated by Funai (National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples) in 2011.

The incident took place days before the hearing scheduled by the STF (Supreme Federal Court) to begin the discussion on the actions involving the time frame for demarcation of indigenous lands. The session will be held this Monday (5th August).

In 2023, the year the president’s 3rd term begins Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), the number of indigenous people killed due to government negligence was 1,231. The number represents a 20% increase compared to the 1,026 deaths in 2022.