Guarani Yvyrupa Commission

Strengthening the Avá-Guarani communities in western Paraná through resisting the impunity of public hate, violence and discrimination campaigns that have intensified in recent years and a publicity campaign against disinformation being spread about communities in the region.

– Identification of field cases.

– Legal and documentary research and elaboration of a counter-campaign strategy.

– Systematization and creation of final products.

– Monitoring of cases forwarded to the authorities.

– Continuous communication, accompaniment and evaluation on the part of regional communities.

In 2012 a vicar took to the pulpit of the cathedral during mass and delivered a sermon accusing Funai of starting a land crisis in western Paraná, giving indigenous peoples an incentive to occupy other farmers’ lands. Since that speech, a campaign of hate gained steam in the towns of Guaíra and Terra Roxa. Along with daily discrimination, the concrete result was a series of violence: gunshots, kidnappings and other aggressions. Children and women found themselves in a particularly vulnerable situation. At least one rape has occurred with the motive described as hate-incited. In the city, shopkeepers refuse indigenous customers. State public organs do not serve their communities. At the federal level, the explanation is that there aren’t enough resources to follow up on denunciations. The nearly 1,200 Avá-Guarani are spread among 13 camps in the regions of Guaíra and Terra Roxa without any of their land demarcated. By way of a federal judge’s order, Funai is obliged to present a proposal during the first semester of 2015 demarcating indigenous land in consideration of these communities. The expectation is that, with the publication of the boundaries of indigenous land, conflicts will worsen. What is needed is to contain or discourage hate crimes and violence against these people.

The mission of the Guarani Yvyrupa Commission is to organize nationally the struggle of Guarani peoples from southern and southeastern Brazil for the recuperation of part of their lands usurped since the European invasion. The main focus is land demarcation, necessary for the maintence of life and cultural traditions. Activities are based on political organizing.

- Network of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (Apib).

- CNPI (National Commission of Indigenous Politics).