UN calls on Brazil to investigate possible genocide against indigenous tribes

The United Nations yesterday called on the Brazilian government to investigate a possible genocide against the Brazilian Yanomami and Guarani Kaiowá indigenous tribes committed during the mandate of Jair Bolsonaro (2020-2022).

The announcement was made by the UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser and Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, who ended this Friday an 11-day mission to Brazil to investigate cases of violence committed against indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants, and other vulnerable groups.

During this period, Wairimu Nderitu visited indigenous and quilombola communities and met with representatives of civil society and government authorities.

Based on the information gathered, she called for the genocide against indigenous peoples to be investigated and those responsible to be punished.

According to her, only national and international courts can classify violations committed against these groups as genocide.

The UN mission aimed to map the facts and suggest ways to prevent and contain the identified problems.

“The crime of genocide must be investigated. But decisions about investigations are up to Brazil, which signed the Convention on the Prevention and Suppression of the Crime of Genocide.”

“My role is to point out the problems related to genocide. We have several risk factors. My role is to show the risks, not solve them,” she said.

Alice Wairimu lamented that the life of indigenous and quilombola communities worsened during the last four years when the country was under the government of former president Jair Bolsonaro.

However, she preferred to approach the issue from a broader point of view by pointing out that these populations are historically victims of violence and neglect.

“I know that in the last government, some policies were accelerated. And the life of indigenous populations has become more precarious than before.”

But let’s remember how structural and deep this problem is. Brazil must address the issues of indigenous and Afro-descendant populations. And find leadership to ensure these people have a more dignified life.

During her visit to the country, Alice Wairimu visited the Yanomami territories in the state of Roraima (north) and Guarani Kaiowá in Mato Grosso do Sul (center-west), and met with the governors of both states.

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