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Indian tribe threatens to commit mass suicide after Brazil court
rules they must leave sacred burial land
- Community of 50 men, 50 women and 70 children from Guarani-kaiowa tribe are camped inside a ranch in Brazil's southern state of Mato Grosso do Sul
- Indians claim land has been the graveyard of their ancestors for centuries
- Spokesman said they would rather die on the land than be made to leave
23
October, 2012
A
entire tribe of 170 Indians have vowed to commit mass suicide after a
court in Brazil ruled they must leave what they believe is sacred
land, it was reported today.
The
community of 50 men, 50 women and 70 children from the Guarani-kaiowa
tribe are camped inside a ranch in Brazil's southern state of Mato
Grosso do Sul.
The
Indians claim the land has been the graveyard of their ancestors for
centuries, according to Brazil's Indigenous Missionary Council
(CIMI).
Protest:
An ethnic Guarani-Kaiowa Brazilian Indian from the state of Mato
Grosso do Sul fixes a cross into the lawn at the Esplanade of
Ministries in Brasilia
Protest:
An ethnic Guarani-Kaiowa Brazilian Indian from the state of Mato
Grosso do Sul fixes a cross into the lawn at the Esplanade of
Ministries in Brasilia yesterday. His entire tribe of 170 Indians
have vowed to commit mass suicide after a court ruled they must leave
what they believe is sacred land
A
Guarani Indian family ride a horse-drawn cart in southern Brazil in
2004. The Indians claim the disputed land has been the graveyard of
their ancestors for centuries
A
Guarani Indian family ride a horse-drawn cart in southern Brazil in
2004. The Indians claim the disputed land has been the graveyard of
their ancestors for centuries
But
this week, Judge Henrique Bonachela upheld a petition made by the
ranch's owner to have the tribe evicted from the land.
He
decreed a fine of £150 for every day the tribe remains on the land,
on the banks of Brazil's Joguico River.
A
spokesman for the tribe today said they do not intend to fight the
judge's decision but would rather die on the land than be made to
leave.
'Dead'
man surprises family by walking into his own funeral - while
identical looking murder victim lies in casket
And
in a letter the tribe called on the Brazilian government to respect
their wishes to be buried there along with their ancestors.
It
read: 'Because of this historic fact, we would prefer to die and be
buried together with our ancestors right here where we are now.
'We
ask, one time for all, for the government to decree our extinction as
a tribe, and to send tractors to dig a big hole and there to throw
our dead bodies.
'We
have all decided that we will not leave this place, neither alive nor
dead.'
Battle:
A spokesman for the tribe said they do not intend to fight the
judge's decision but would rather die on the land than be made to
leave
Battle:
A spokesman for the tribe said they do not intend to fight the
judge's decision but would rather die on the land than be made to
leave
Remote:
The tribe is camped inside a ranch in Brazil's southern state of Mato
Grosso do Sul
Remote:
The tribe is camped inside a ranch in Brazil's southern state of Mato
Grosso do Sul
A
spokesman for CIMI described the development as of 'exceptional
seriousness'.
And
Federal Deputy Sarney Filho warned of the 'extremely worrying'
situation.
In
a letter to Brazil's Justice Minsitry, he wrote: 'This tribe has had
its culture and lands attacked for centuries. They could now go down
in history as being the tribe which wiped themselves out by
committing collective suicide.
'We
must take the necessary measures to avert the worst.'
Indian
tribes in southern Brazil have for years been fighting for the
country to recognise their traditional lands, many of which now
belong to farmers and rich landowners.
To sign an AVAAZ petition GO HERE
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