Number of Deaths of Indigenous Leaders in 2019 Highest in Last 11 Years

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The number of indigenous leaders killed in conflicts in the countryside in 2019 was the highest in at least 11 years, according to data from the Pastoral Land Commission (CPT) released on Monday, December 9th. There were seven deaths in 2019, against two in 2018. The data for this year are preliminary: the final balance will only be carried out in April next year.

Last weekend, three indigenous activists were killed in Brazil: in Maranhão, in Jenipapo dos Vieiras, two Guajajara Indians died and two others were injured during an attack on Saturday, December 7th; in Manaus, in Amazonas State, the ethnic activist Tuyuca Humberto Peixoto Lemos died in hospital after being beaten on Monday, December 2nd.

The Minister of Justice, Sérgio Moro, authorized on Monday the sending of the National Force to the indigenous land of Maranhão where two leaders were killed over the weekend, as shown in the video below. The measure was published in the Federal Gazette on Tuesday, December 10th.

According to Paulo César Moreira, of the national coordination of the CPT, the increase in the number of deaths of indigenous leaders is the result of a speech of “institutionalized violence” in conflicts in the countryside.

At least 27 people have already died for this reason in 2019. The number is already higher than what was computed for the entire year of 2018 when 28 deaths occurred. In 2019, the group with the highest number of victims was indigenous leaders.

See the list of indigenous leaders killed in 2019:

• February 27th, 2019: Chief Francisco de Souza Pereira, killed at the age of 53 in the Urucaia community conflict, in Manaus (Amazonas State)
• June 13th, 2019: Chief Willames Machado Alencar, killed at the age of 42 in the Cemitério dos Índios Indigenous community conflict in Manaus (Amazonas State)
• July 22nd, 2019: Emyra Waiãpi, killed at the age of 69 in the Waiãpi/Aldeia Mariry indigenous land conflict in Pedra Branca do Amapari (Amapá State)
• August 6th, 2019: Carlos Alberto Oliveira de Souza (“Mackpak”), killed at the age of 44 in the Indigenous Cemetery community conflict in Manaus (Amazonas State)
• November 1st, 2019: Paulo Paulino Guajajara, killed at the age of 26 in the Arariboia/92 Aldeias/Etnias Guajajara, Gavião and Guajá indigenous land conflict, in Bom Jesus da Selva (Maranhão State)
• December 7th, 2019: Chief Firmino Prexede Guajajara, killed at the age of 45 in the Cana Brava/Aldeias Coquinho/Coquinho II/Ilha de São Pedro/Silvino/Mussun/Nova Vitoriano indigenous land conflict, in Jenipapo dos Vieiras (Maranhão State).
• December 7th, 2019: Raimundo Benício Guajajara, killed at the age of 38 in the Lagoa Comprida/Aldeias Leite/Decente indigenous land conflict, in Jenipapo dos Vieiras (Maranhão State).

Pastoral Data

The CPT’s survey is based on data sent by the pastoral councils of each region. Only murders related to conflicts over land are taken into account.

In addition to the deaths of leaders, the survey also includes deaths of indigenous people who are not leaders of their communities. Taking into account the deaths of leaders and indigenous people combined, 2013 and 2016 showed higher numbers.

For Paulo Moreira, the deaths of leaders are more damaging to communities because they weaken the group’s struggle for their rights and for territories.

“The strategy [behind the killings] is to weaken the community. When you can’t, what they do is try to reach people in the community sometimes at random. But the death of leaders is well designed, to undermine action and weaken the entire group,” says Moreira, of the CPT.

Increase in 2018

Another study, prepared by the Indigenous Missionary Council (CIMI), already pointed to an increase in violence against the indigenous population in 2018.

According to a report published in September by the council, the number of murders of indigenous people has increased by 20 percent compared to the previous survey. The most recent figures refer to 2018 when 135 deaths were recorded. In 2017, there were 110 cases.

Preliminary data from the council also showed an increase in cases of illegal invasion and exploitation of indigenous lands. From January to September 2019, the CIMI found 160 cases of invasion in 19 states.

Before the end of the year, the number is now more than 40 percent higher than the total in 2018, with 111 invasions recorded. Rondônia and Amazonas were the states with the highest incidence of this action last year.

Source: G1