News-Letter  Nr.425

FEDERAL POLICE AND PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY COMMISSION (CPI) THAT IS INVESTIGATING THE DRUG TRAFFIC IN BRAZIL ARE IN THE TRUKÁ INDIGENOUS AREA

The Federal Police launched operation in the Truká indigenous area, state of Pernambuco. This time, the justification is that they want to destroy marijuana plantations established by drug dealers in the Assunção island. They went there with members of the Parliamentary Inquiry Commission (CPI) of the State Legislature of Pernambuco, which is investigating the drug traffic in the country and was established on Wednesday, the 23rd, in the city of Cabrobó. The Assunção archipelago, an indigenous territory of the Truká, is located inside the so-called Marijuana Polygon, which is constantly encroached upon by drug dealers. The operation includes two helicopters, one bus full of agents, and three supporting cars.

For the Truká, however, the police operation represents another invasion of the indigenous territory. On Saturday, the 19th, a group of almost 60 police officers in 11 cars and a helicopter arrived at the Truká territory with violence carrying a search warrant to seize weapons and drugs and went straight to the home of leader Ailson dos Santos, where they searched everything and arrested him under the allegation that he was carrying a gun without a license. Santos did not react and left his home handcuffed. Next, the federal agents spread out to search the island.

Eight indigenous people were arrested in the operation, four of whom were released on bail. The four who were arrested are in the Salgueiro penitentiary under charges of conspiracy and assault with the intent to commit murder. One of the Truká who were arrested questioned whether the action was legal and was beaten by the police.

The community reacted and threw stones and typical indigenous clubs at the police officers. The agents, in turn, used tear gas and rubber bullets against the indigenous people. All of the indigenous people who were arrested were violently beaten and were subjected to two corpus delicti examinations to confirm the violence at the request of the indigenous community, which defied the results of the first examination carried out by the Federal Police.

The Truká who were in the island during the police operation were heard by Funai, which is gathering evidence for the public prosecution service to press charges against the federal police for abuse of authority. Pregnant women who felt sick during the action confirmed the violence. They said that tear-gas bombs were thrown inside homes to force those inside it to come out. As a result of the police action, some women were hospitalized in order not to miscarry their babies. Elderly people also suffered with the action. "They looked more like terrorists than the Federal Police," said Aurivan dos Santos, a Truká leader. The climate in Cabrobó is tense and the animosity between the Federal Police and the indigenous people is very strong, which can lead to a serious conflict.

THE POLICE ACTION AND THE STRUGGLE FOR THE LAND

The indigenous people have no doubts that the police action is related to the struggle for the land. The indigenous area in question is located in the Assunção Archipelago, in the so-called marijuana Polygon. Drug dealers take advantage of the lack of measures on the part of the federal administration to legalize the possession of the area and hide from the police in the island, where they plant marijuana. In their struggle to have their land demarcated, the indigenous people decided to drive invaders, including drug dealers, out on their own initiative.

The federal administration, however, has not released funds for indemnifying occupants in good faith for improvements made in the land. The Truká have gone to Brasília repeatedly to press the government to release these funds and have even thrown down electricity transmission towers of Companhia Hidrelétrica do São Francisco (Chesf) in the archipelago. In May, the last time the indigenous people were in Brasília, the Ministry of Justice announced that no money was available to make that payment (R$ 2,900,000), although it was promised last year.

Brasília, 24 August 2000.
Indianist Missionary Council - Cimi





For details regarding the text you better contact Cimi directly: (e-mail: cimi@embratel.net.br)



Webmaster Pro REGENWALD

We're happy to receive your comments or answer your questions. now, if you want to contribute to this work