Title: Historic victory for Brazil’s indigenous peoples: the Supreme Court recognizes their rights to their ancestral lands
Introduction :
Brazil’s indigenous peoples won an unprecedented victory on Thursday, September 21, when the country’s Supreme Court upheld their right to their ancestral lands. This historic judgment rejects the thesis of the “temporal framework” defended by the agro-business lobby, and thus consolidates the rights of indigenous populations in the face of deforestation and global warming. This article discusses the issues at stake in the trial, the reactions of the different parties and the implications for the future of indigenous peoples in Brazil.
The rejection of the “temporal framework” thesis:
The trial in question began in August 2021 and was suspended several times before reaching this historic decision. The majority of the judges of the Supreme Court voted against the thesis of the “temporal framework”, which proposed to recognize as lands rightfully belonging to the indigenous people only those which they occupied or officially claimed at the time of the promulgation of the Constitution in 1988. This thesis had been defended by the agro-business lobby in the name of “legal security” for operators, but it could have had catastrophic consequences for the indigenous populations.
A victory for indigenous populations and the fight against deforestation:
The Supreme Court’s decision is a major victory for Brazil’s indigenous peoples, particularly those in the Amazon region. In addition to preserving their rights to their ancestral lands, these reserves are also crucial in the fight against deforestation and global warming. Scientists consider that indigenous lands are bulwarks against environmental destruction and play a key role in preserving biodiversity and combating greenhouse gas emissions.
An appeal to the government of Lula da Silva:
The victory is also a call to the government of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who returned to power in January, to take concrete steps to protect indigenous lands. The approval of new reserves had in fact remained at a standstill for more than five years, until Lula da Silva authorized the creation of eight. However, of the more than 700 reserves already demarcated in Brazil, almost a third of them have not yet been officially approved. It is therefore crucial that the government acts quickly to guarantee the rights and security of indigenous peoples.
Conclusion :
The decision of the Supreme Court of Brazil to recognize the rights of indigenous peoples to their ancestral lands is a historic event. It offers a glimmer of hope for the preservation of the environment, the fight against deforestation and the protection of indigenous cultures. However, much remains to be done to implement this decision and preserve the rights of indigenous peoples. The Brazilian government must now take concrete steps to ensure the protection of indigenous lands and support sustainable development initiatives implemented by indigenous communities.