National Public Security Force is sent to south Bahia to suppress conflict between natives and farmers

Criado em 19/08/13 18h32 e atualizado em 19/08/13 18h53
Por Alex Rodrigues Edição:s Fonte:Agência Brasil

Brasília – As requested by Bahia’s governor Jaques Wagner, members of the National Public Security Force (“FNS”) are being sent to Buerarema, a city of around 18,000 inhabitants in the Brazilian state of Bahia, where Tupinambá natives have occupied 35 farms since the beginning of August.

At first, the FNS police will remain in Buerarema until August 27. Their purpose is to ensure that the region is safe, and to prevent the conflicts between natives and field workers from becoming even more serious. This date, however, can be postponed.

Occupying farms was the way natives found urge the federal government to haste the process of demarcation of an indigenous reserve 47 hectares large. A hectare is equivalent to 10,000 m², around the same area as a soccer field. It encompasses regions within the municipalities of Buerarema, Ilhéus and Una.

Last week, field workers staged a protest in an attempt to retrieve the lands invaded. After keeping federal highway BR-101 blocked for nearly ten hours, the demonstration got out of control. Public areas and at least one bank were ransacked. Vehicles belonging to officials were set on fire, among which a car carrying four natives – two of whom children.

As the situation grew worse, on the same day, governor Wagner contacted minister of justice José Eduardo Cardozo so that the National Force could be called, along with extra police reinforcements.

According to journalist Davidson Samuel, who works in the area, authorities should take action as quickly as possible in order to quell the violence and avoid an imminent tragedy.

“The atmosphere around here is tense. I believe that, if the governments don’t find a way to meet the demands of the indians and the farmers, people may end up dead,” the journalist remarked.

But for city councilor Elior Almeida, leader of the government at the Municipal Chamber, the presence of the National Force may be all that is necessary for ending the conflict. He says that the natives are not from the region. “Until not long ago, there were no indians in Buerarema. They were brought here from neighboring areas, like Ilhéus, over the last years. And all their demands have been answered. Everything group leaders ask is given to them by the state government, otherwise they get together and choose a land to occupy.”

Editors: Davi Oliveira / Olga Bardawil
Translators: Fabrício Ferreira / Olga Bardawil

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