Brazil: Indigenous people protest over ancestral lands

Thousands of Indigenous people marched through Brazil's capital, Brasilia, on Thursday, protesting against the government's failure to recognize more of their ancestral lands officially.

Along with calling for more land recognition, some tribes also protested a proposed 950-kilometer (590-mile) rail project.

The Ferrograo railway will transport grain from farms in the central part of the country, to ports along the Tapajos River, a large Amazon tributary.

Lula fails to quell concerns

One of the people's main grievances is what they call the failure of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's government to fulfill its promise of legally recognizing more of the land they have lived on for centuries.

This recognition is crucial to safeguard their territories from encroachment by unauthorized loggers, illegal miners and land grabbers.

Lula's administration has created 10 Indigenous territories, but Indigenous leaders told him in the meeting it is not enough. 

He later said on X, formally known as Twitter: "It is my moral duty to do what I can to minimize the suffering of Indigenous people and guarantee their rights,"

However, Indigenous leader Chief Edinho of the Macuxi tribe in Roraima state told reporters: "We left well aware that our struggle continues.

"We have a government that talks to us, but a farm lobby that stops it from governing."

Dispute over Ferrograo railway

Indigenous leaders from the Kayapo, Panará, and Munduruku tribes criticized the proposed Ferrograo railway, saying they were not adequately consulted.

They are worried the new infrastructure would lead to increased deforestation.

"Ferrograo is the train of death, of deforestation," said Alessandra Korap Munduruku, the Goldman environmental prize winner.

The prize is awarded to grassroots environmental champions from around the world who take significant action for our planet.

"The railroad is not going to carry people, as they claim, but grain production of international companies financing this project," Munduruku added.

Marivelton Bare, head of the Rio Negro Federation of Indigenous Organizations said "there is political instability, disrespect and mistrust."

Indigenous demands face mounting opposition from the powerful agribusiness sector.

"We are in favor of Ferrograo, a federal government project of extreme importance for the shipment of grains," the farm caucus in Congress said.

They say the railway will cut freight costs by 25% and release less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere that the trucks that currently carry the grain.

km/lo (Reuters, AP)