Bolsonaro transfers to agriculture the demarcation of indigenous lands and quilombolas | Politics

Until then, the allocation to native lands was the responsibility of the National Indian Foundation (Funai), linked to the Department of Justice; and on the quilombolas, with the National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform (INCRA), badociated with the Civil House.

At present, the identification of these lands will be under the responsibility of the Minister of Agriculture, Tereza Cristina (DEM-MS), who was chair of the group of rural activists of Congress.

The change appears in the provisional measure signed by Bolsonaro concerning the organization of the ministries and which was published on Tuesday (1st).

The decision, with the adjustment of the minimum wage, is one of the first taken by the new president.

During the campaign, Bolsonaro had already promised to secure native lands for commercial exploitation and sale.

Powers of the Ministry of Agriculture

Article 21, which deals with the powers of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supplies, defines that the portfolio will be responsible for the "agrarian reform, land regularization of rural areas, Legal Amazon, indigenous and quilombolas."

On this jurisdiction, it is established that agriculture should be:

• "l & # 39; identification, delimitation, demarcation and registration of lands traditionally occupied by indigenous peoples, and
• identification, recognition, delimitation, demarcation and titling of lands occupied by the remains of Quilombo communities. "

The Member does not define how identifications and demarcations will be carried out.

In early December, the Minister of Civil Affairs, Onix Lorenzoni, declared that he was considering transferring the management of the National Indian Foundation (Funai) to the Ministry of Agriculture.

In November, Tereza Cristina commented on the "judicialization" of indigenous land demarcation processes in the country, one of the targets frequently criticized by ruralists, who complain about the excessive concentration of power in Funai.

"You proceeded to the judicialization of the demarcations because the FUNAI establishes an anthropological report, it gives the decision then the demarcation.What happens today is that all these processes, which could be solved of another way, finish Judiciary and take 20 years, "he said at the time.

At least 24 murders were committed in the campaign in 2018. The number of cases is lower than in 2017, where there were 71 deaths, but it does not represent a decrease in violence, according to the Commission. Pastoral Lands (CPT), responsible for the survey. For Rubens Siqueira, member of the National Executive Coordination of the Pastoral Land Commission, the violence focused on the leaders of social movements.

In 2017, out of the 71 deaths in the countryside, 22% were leaders. In 2018, out of 24 murders already registered, 54% are movement leaders, according to the Pastoral Lands Commission.

Funai was established in December 1967 as part of the institutional mission "to protect and promote the rights of indigenous peoples". Its remit includes actions to identify and protect isolated and newly contacted indigenous peoples; sustainable development policies for aboriginal peoples and control of environmental impacts on aboriginal lands.

According to Funai, the concept of indigenous land is not to be confused with that of private property, because it follows criteria related to customs and traditions.

"The right of indigenous peoples to their lands traditionally occupied is an original right and, therefore, the administrative process of demarcation of indigenous peoples' lands is of a purely declaratory nature." Constitution, but recognized on the basis of 'technical and legal requirements, in accordance with the 1988 Federal Constitution,' says Funai.

According to Funai, Brazil currently has 462 indigenous lands, or 12.2% of the national territory, but only 8% are regularized.

Most are concentrated in the legal Amazon region, but in the states where agriculture is progressing, there are several agrarian conflicts.

Incra was created in 1970. There are currently 30 regional superintendents throughout the country. Among the actions and programs are rural property certification, environmental management with the sustainable development of agrarian reform institutions, the national program of education for agrarian reform, mediation of conflicts with indigenous peoples from the demarcation of lands, among others.