Fighting for the right to land

Jacir José de Souza is one of the founding members of CAFOD partner CIR (the Indigenous Council of Roraima), an organisation representing indigenous communities in the state of Roraima [Joelle Hernandez/CAFOD]

After struggling for decades to secure land rights for his people, Jacir José de Souza thought victory had finally been achieved – only to find it could be turned into defeat instead

Jacir is one of the founding members of CAFOD partner CIR (the Indigenous Council of Roraima), an organisation representing indigenous communities in the state of Roraima.

CIR works to ensure the rights of indigenous peoples are respected, so as to secure the livelihoods of communities living on the land - and for future generations.

Hard-fought victory

After 30 years of campaigning, the indigenous territory of Raposa Serra do Sol in Roraima was finally granted legal status in 2005.

This hard-fought and deserved victory for CIR meant security and the chance to build a better future for up to 19,000 indigenous people, who had known little other than intimidation and discrimination for generations.

But, despite the historic ruling, the territory has continued to be occupied illegally by a group of powerful rice farmers, who are now trying to have the judgement overturned.

Jacir says: “We thought our situation was solved. But now we are campaigning once more.

“For us our land is our Mother. It gives us a home, soil, fruit, vegetables, fish.

"Without our land we would starve, we would be reduced to steal for survival, and this is why we defend our land.”

Even though Brazil's President Lula has officially recognised the land as belonging to the Macuxi, Ingaricó, Taurepang, Patamona and Wapichana people, the local state government of Roraima supports the farmers.

It is now calling on the Brazilian Supreme Court to annul the legal ratification of Raposa Serra do Sol. Should the case succeed, the land will be split up and significantly reduced.

Jacir claims the farming has been polluting the land, as well as causing huge conflict – he says 21 indigenous leaders have been killed by armed security hired by the farmers, and the communities have suffered continuous death threats.

“The armed henchmen who attacked us are still free, and they still go on our land shooting and drinking. We don’t hold much hope that they will be punished.

“Had it been us who attacked the farmers, we would have been sentenced to 30 years very fast but, because they are powerful, they are still free. That is the way we are treated.

“Bridges have been burned, which cut us off from education and health services, and there are a lot of children and adults suffering intimidation.

“This is destroying the fabric of our communities.”

The indigenous communities are urging the Supreme Court to guarantee their land rights and remove the illegal farmers immediately, especially as any new ruling may establish a precedent and threaten all indigenous lands in Brazil.

Jacir is asking people in the UK to back their call.

“If the whole world signed a petition or sent a letter to Brazil, the Supreme Court would know we have friends too.”

Watch videos of the fight

Jacir and Pierlângela from the Raposa-Serra do Sol talk about their lands and lives (Interviews & video by Survival International) View in a full-screen player

Simon Giarchi, diocesan manager for CAFOD Plymouth, visits indigenous villages in Brazil fighting for their right to land (Video made by BBC TV Southwest) View in a full-screen player

A film about the fight of the Macuxi people in the state of Roraima, Brazil, to safeguard the land rights they were legally granted, which powerful rice farmers are trying to have overturned View in a full-screen browser

Petitioning MPs in London

Jacir José de Souza and Pierlângela Nascimento da Cunha - joined by three CAFOD diocesan managers - meet MPs and officials at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to ask them for help
(Photos by Joelle Hernandez/CAFOD)

Click on each image to read a quote from either Jacir or Pierlângela about their campaign