In Brazil’s capital, Brasília, thousands of Indigenous people have gathered at a protest camp to demand the protection of their ancestral land rights, which they assert are threatened by industrial farming in the Amazon. The demonstrators are also calling for commitments to end fossil fuel extraction in the lead-up to the COP30 Summit, set to take place in the northern city of Belém in November.
The protests highlight growing concerns over a controversial 2023 law, which Indigenous activists argue undermines their constitutionally enshrined rights to reclaim ancestral land. This legislation has made it increasingly difficult for some tribes to regain territories from which they were historically displaced due to the expansion of farming and logging operations.
The legal dispute has reached Brazil’s Supreme Court, where a conciliation chamber has been established to facilitate dialogue between Indigenous groups and the influential agricultural sector. However, the umbrella organisation representing the Indigenous groups has withdrawn from these negotiations, asserting that the chamber’s creation undermines their constitutional rights.
The annual Terra Livre (meaning “Free Land”) protest has succeeded in uniting thousands from various Indigenous communities across the Amazon and Oceania, who have come together this week to amplify their message. Tensions escalated on Thursday evening when security forces deployed tear gas to disperse Indigenous demonstrators who had approached the Congress building. Officials from Brazil’s Lower House alleged that the activists attempted to breach the building, accusations which the marchers vehemently denied.
On the same day, 180 Indigenous and climate advocacy groups from around the globe submitted a letter to COP30 President André Correa do Lago, urging him to halt new oil extraction projects and to significantly reduce both natural gas and crude oil production. The letter also encouraged COP30 to advocate for the transition to renewable energy, reinforcing global commitments to phase out fossil fuels and limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Brazil, as Latin America’s largest oil producer, has seen a resurgence in oil exploration under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who aims to advance offshore drilling approximately 500 kilometers from the Amazon River’s mouth. After returning to the presidency in 2022, Lula pledged to protect Indigenous land rights and combat deforestation, which had surged under his predecessor, far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro.
The ongoing protests highlight the broader issues of land rights, environmental protection, and the urgent need for sustainable development in Brazil, as Indigenous communities continue to seek recognition and respect for their ancestral territories. The outcome of these disputes will not only impact the Indigenous populations of Brazil but will also resonate across the region, as the fight for land rights and environmental justice continues.
Source : DW
