Farmers removed from indigenous area ask government to help them survive

For over ten minutes, farmer João Machado left government officials and members of the Agriculture Commission of the Chamber of Deputies speechless and emotional. Aged 72, Machado is one of the homesteader who were removed in January 2013 from the Marãiwatsédé indigenous area, in the western state of Mato Grosso—a region recognized by federal courts as property of the Xavante tribe.

“It's my profession. It's what I've learned, and there's nothing else I can do. My [professional register] says 'field worker',” he said today (Dec 4), during a public hearing held to discuss the the outcome of process of expropriation and post-expropriation. The debate was marked by the testimonials of former residents and farmers from the region.

Machado pointed out that farmers acknowledge the role of preservation and was critical of how agricultural production is viewed as a sort of environmental villain.

“They're people who enriched the country with the boldness of a trade which today is seen as criminal. They decided to call it agribusiness. You gain your livelihood today from a crime. The crime of working, producing, acquiring. I'm not much a good speaker, but we're living in a time of lack of awareness and lack of respect towards the human being. It's disrespectful and inconsiderate towards these lives. I'm 72 years old, but what about the others?” Machado said.

Other farmers who had to leave the place mentioned that the expropriation, whereby white populations were expelled from the lands recognized as indigenous, affected small, medium and large owners. In their view, many of them, once wealthy, now have to rely on the distribution of food from the state government. Others, from more impoverished groups, were relocated to a settlement provided by the National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform (Incra).

“People were swept under the tarp, with no water or energy,” claims Renato Teodoro, former head of the Suiá Missu  Association of Residents and Farmers, which had occupied the region since the 60's. According to him, at the time, a commission made up of residents met in Brasília with authorities from Incra to discuss the problems that would arise after the expropriation. “But no adjustments or measures ensued. If something did happen, it's the human rights [people] who are to blame,” he stated.

Irene Maria Rocha dos Santos, vice-mayor of Alto Boa Vista, the municipality from which the Marãiwatsédé area was detached, highlighted the poor local conditions. “We're 1,500 families and 5 thousand people, among whom only 12 have been relocated in the Casulo [Settlement Program]. We were told houses would be ready by July, but up to now there's been nothing. Where's the settlement, the houses, the dignified life?” she questioned.

Irene went on to talk about a family who feeds on trash from a dump. “[Human Rights] people have never come for us. These people should experience it so they could learn what reality's like. Of the 12 people who have a house built there, one was in the dump scavenging the garbage and eating rotten food,” she declared.

Bruno Teixeira, ombudsman at the Human Rights Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic, explained that the his team followed the process up to the rehousing of residents to the settlement. He claims there is no information about the current state of affairs.

“If things don't make enough progress, it is due to the government to keep present and keep establishing a dialogue with these people, because the role of the ombudsman's office is to gather information and look for solutions. This case has never been played down. We'll keep following the case,” he guaranteed. Teixeira said that a commission will b sent to the place for a new diagnosis of the settlement situation.

Deputy Nilson Leitão (from the the Brazilian Social Democracy Party, PSDB, in Mato Grosso) explained that “the idea of [holding a public hearing] is having the responsibility of building a new future, since it's not possible to change the past.” Leitão declared that he did not subscribe to the arguments used by the opposition. Nonetheless, he said, the government was not clear about its own position regarding the problem. “I'll propose to the Chamber of Deputies the creation of a work group . We suggested it to the government, unsuccessfully. We'll bring deputies and senators together and try to build a new future,” he concluded.

Federal Inspector Paulo Alex Meneses Mendes, substitute coordinator-general for sustainability at the Ministry of Agriculture, noted that the situation of the region's former residents and farmers has been brought to the court. “For the ministry, it's a rather unpleasant surprise. It's always complicated and difficult to face such scenario. There's something undoubtedly wrong,” Mendes argued. He also announced that the ministry will be represented in the work group by members of the Legislative.

Richard Torsiano, Incra's Director for Property Structure, explained that the agency has been dealing with land management issues due to difficulties in acquiring property. He admitted it would have been best not to carry out the expropriation before the settlement was ready.

Criticized by former residents and farmers, which accused him of having “deceived people” when he said that Incra does whatever its duties are, within legal and financial limitations, the director promised to find information about the resources the agency's superintendency claims are underway.

“In concrete terms, what the superintendency has presented to us is a partnership including $116 thousand specially allocated to work out the issue.” He says that $114 thousand have already been authorized as credit for the families; “We must evaluate what's meant by 'authorized'. We'll get a concrete answer and let you know.” Another pledge was to find information about the funds operated by the government's rural version of its My House My Life housing program. “The information says that the resources are available at the Banco do Brasil branch in São Félix do Araguaia. We'll have it confirmed,” the director stated.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira