Lula approves indigenous land demarcations and promises more: 'If we want zero deforestation, we need the guardians of the forest.'
"It's a somewhat lengthy process. We're going to have to work hard so that we can demarcate as many indigenous lands as possible," the president declared.
247 - President Lula (PT) participated this Friday (28) in the closing of the Free Land Camp 2023 and signed decrees that approve six new indigenous lands. In a speech at the event, the president promised that more land demarcations will come. 'We are going to do everything we said we were going to do during the campaign. We are going to legalize indigenous lands. It is a somewhat lengthy process. Our dear minister knows the process, it has to go through many hands and we will have to work hard so that we can demarcate as many indigenous lands as possible, not only because it is your right. If we want to reach zero deforestation in the Amazon by 2030, we will need you as guardians of the forest."
The president also spoke about reforming the career plan for employees of Funai (National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples). "The other thing that needs to be clear is that we need to take care of Funai's career plan, which is possibly one of the worst career plans in this country. We're going to have to take care of it because there's a lot to fix. We inherited this country in disarray. Just to give you an idea, we inherited government sectors that only have a third of the people who worked there before, and we're going to need to rebuild the government, hire people."
Learn more about the official recognition of indigenous lands.
President Lula signed decrees at the closing of the 2023 Free Land Camp, officially recognizing six indigenous territories in six Brazilian states.
Since 2018, these are the first indigenous lands to be officially recognized:
- TI Arara do Rio Amônia (AC), with a population of 434 people and a declaration decree from the year 2009.
- TI Kariri-Xocó (AL), with a population of 2.300 people and a declaration decree from 2006.
- TI Rio dos Índios (RS), with a population of 143 people and a declaration decree from 2004.
- TI Tremembé da Barra do Mundaú (CE), with a population of 580 people and a declaration decree from the year 2015.
- TI Uneiuxi (AM), with a population of 249 people and a declaration decree from the year 2006.
- TI Avá-Canoeiro (GO), with a population of nine people and a declaration decree from the year 1996.
Also through the signing of two decrees, President Lula recreated the National Council for Indigenous Policy (CNPI) and established the Management Committee for the National Policy for Territorial and Environmental Management of Indigenous Lands (PNGATI).
The goal of PNGATI is to promote and guarantee the protection, recovery, conservation, and sustainable use of natural resources in indigenous territories. The initiative ensures the improvement of the quality of life of indigenous peoples, providing full conditions for the physical and cultural reproduction of current and future generations, as well as guaranteeing the integrity of the tangible and intangible heritage of these peoples.
At the closing ceremony of the ATL, the release of R$ 12,3 million to the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (Funai) was also announced, for the acquisition of supplies, tools and equipment for the flour mills, recovering the productive capacity of the Yanomami indigenous communities.