Brazilian Federal Prosecutor's Office requests cancellation of mining permits on indigenous lands in Amazonas.
The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF) filed a public civil action to have the National Mining Agency (ANM) reject all requests for mineral research and exploration that affect indigenous lands in Amazonas. According to the action, the agency has been failing to analyze requests for mineral research and exploration on indigenous lands, keeping them paralyzed, while the Constitution prohibits this type of request. The government of Jair Bolsonaro favors this practice and has been trying to create mechanisms that facilitate the exploitation of indigenous lands.
Reuters - The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF) in Amazonas filed a public civil action, with a request for an injunction, to have the National Mining Agency (ANM) reject all administrative requests for mineral research and exploration, including those related to artisanal mining, that affect indigenous lands in the State of Amazonas, the MPF press office reported.
According to the lawsuit, the agency has failed to analyze requests for mineral research and exploration on indigenous lands, keeping them paralyzed, while the Constitution prohibits this type of request. According to the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office, the practice is illegal and unconstitutional.
If there is no immediate acceptance of the request for dismissal made in the action, the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office requests that the requests be analyzed and dismissed by the agency within 30 days.
The public civil action also asks the court to prohibit the agency from keeping new administrative requests for mining titles that affect indigenous lands in the State of Amazonas paralyzed, in order to prevent further socio-cultural damage to the affected communities.
"In these protected areas, the pressures are exerted mainly for gold and tantalite mining, with titles claimed by legal entities and individuals, including miners' cooperatives," the public civil action highlights.
According to the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF), until the constitutional provisions dealing with the matter are regulated, mining on indigenous lands is prohibited, and requests submitted by private individuals must be analyzed and rejected.
By Ricardo Brito