Next
steps in the indigenous struggle: Territorial reoccupation and
reconversion of eucalyptus plantations
Although the struggle
for 11,009 hectares of Tupinikim and Guarani land in the hands
of the greatest eucalyptus pulp exporter in the world, Aracruz
Cellulose, was a major challenge, the reoccupation of this territory
and reconversion of eucalyptus in the zone to other land uses
is perhaps an even greater one. Over the past 40 years,
more than 90% of the area has been occupied and exploited by monoculture
eucalyptus plantations, causing degradation of countless streams
and rivers, killing the fish and contaminating the scant water
left for the indigenous people to drink, bathe and wash their
clothes. The tree felling preceding the plantation of the
eucalyptus trees destroyed the indigenous peoples’ great wealth:
the Atlantic forest, with its numerous kinds of wood, medicinal
plants, game, fruit, raw material for traditional crafts, among
other products.
The conditions for territorial
reoccupation depend, in the first place, on the terms of an agreement
known as TAC – Document for the Adjustment of Behaviour – that
is to be drawn up by the Federal Public Ministry with the participation
of the company, the indigenous peoples, the 6th Chamber and the
Ministry of Justice. This TAC is aimed at “improvements” in the
area, mainly the eucalyptus plantations. The signature of
this TAC is important to avoid the company launching legal proceedings
– as it constantly threatens – as this could make the conclusion
of indigenous land demarcation unfeasible. If the government
were to consider that Aracruz planted the eucalyptus trees in
good faith, the company would have the lawful right to compensation
– although this does not correspond to what happened at the time,
as can be vouched for by the indigenous people who were present
during Aracruz’s invasion of the area. Aracruz has estimated the
value of the “improvements” in the area at US$ 53 million. However,
for its part the federal government has declared that it does
not have the resources to compensate the company, and for this
reason suggests that the eucalyptus planted be part of the negotiation.
Other improvements and items under negotiation include power transmission
cables, a railway branch and part of the hydraulic complex.
The company will surely
demand that all the eucalyptus trees be removed from the area,
leaving a literally devastated landscape for the Tupinikim and
Guarani people, while these want to ensure conditions that will
enable them to work in the conquered lands. These conditions
will be defined in the final draft of the TAC. Once the TAC is
agreed upon, the demarcation process could be concluded. This
process also consists of the physical demarcation of the area
– placing signs – homologation of the area by the President of
the Republic and legal registry of the lands, declaring that they
belong to the federal government and that the Tupinikim and Guarani
people have the right to their exclusive use.
So far, the Tupinikim
and Guarani people have submitted the following proposals to establish
territorial reoccupation:
- In the first place
the Tupinikim and Guarani people want to rebuild the villages
destroyed by the invasion of Aracruz in the area, as was the case
twice in the past when they recovered their lands after 2005.
Four Guarani families are already living in the recently rebuilt
village of Olho D’Água. The Guarani people are cleaning the areas
surrounding the straw-roofed wood and mud houses, built in the
middle of the eucalyptus plantation, to start growing foodstuffs.
The presence in the area of one of the few springs that survived
the environmental disaster of the monoculture eucalyptus plantation
has encouraged the Guarani people to start living in this place
and restore the old village. Another village that will be
lived in shortly is Areal. Certainly other villages will start
being populated and thus the indigenous people will be able to
recover their traditional occupation of the region – with sufficient
villages, each with a few families – thus freeing the existing
villages that are suffering from overpopulation problems.
- Secondly, the communities
want to reforest part of the area with native trees from the Atlantic
forest, giving priority to the banks of rivers and streams, in
addition to springs. They know that this work is important to
guarantee water and thus life for future generations of the Tupinikim
and Guarani people. Since 2005, the communities are discussing
proposals for reforestation and a large meeting of the villages
was organized under the name of “Replanting our Hopes.” A pilot
project was launched in 2006 for a nursery to produce native tree
saplings in the village of Pau Brasil, guided by a list of over
100 species prepared by the older indigenous people. They are
species that have traditionally been used by the indigenous people
for crafts, home-made remedies and domestic utensils. This year
two reforestations have already taken place, including an area
previously planted with eucalyptus trees. From now on the proposal
is to encourage this restoration work.
-
In the third place, the communities are seeking economic alternatives
for the indigenous lands, using different kinds of crops
that can generate employment and income. Various proposals
are being studied, but no fully defined plan exists as yet. What
does exist is an enormous will to ensure the communities’ economic
autonomy, with a place where the children can live and in the
future, work, enjoying the freedom that Aracruz took away from
them in the past. A place where, even with all the changes frequently
imposed on the indigenous people, the basic elements of their
tradition and culture are preserved. In the future, this will
enable the Tupinikim and Guarani people to continue developing
their way of life.
By:
Winnie Overbeek, FASE/ES, e-mail:
winnie.fase@terra.com.br
