The fight for the right to territory kills dozens of indigenous people every year in Brazil. Data from the Indigenous Missionary Council (Conselho Indigenista Missionário: CIMI) demonstrates that, in 2015, 54 indigenous people were killed in territorial disputes around the country. These original people work tirelessly for the Government to demarcate their lands so that entrepreneurs and ranchers cannot seize and destroy indigenous territory.
On the afternoon of 19 April, representatives from five indigenous ethnicities – Xukuru, Guajajara, Guarani, Wapichama and Bororo – came together in a spirit of confrontation at the Round Table Dialogue for Good Living, promoted by the ACT Ecumenical Forum of Brazil (Fórum Ecumênico ACT Brasil: FE ACT), in the Anglican Cathedral in Brasilia.
The aim of the dialogue was to reflect on the threats to and, in many cases, losses of constitutional rights experienced by indigenous peoples around the county. The afternoon began with chants and rites conducted by the tribes represented on the day. Immediately afterwards, the indigenous peoples took the floor to discuss their difficulties as traditional peoples.
Following statements from some of the indigenous representatives, the Guarani Kaiowá Ecumencial Mission site (http://www.mecumenicaguaranikaiowa.org.br/) was officially launched. The site contains information and reports from CESE’s two ecumenical missions, the National Council of Christian Churches of Brazil (Conselho Nacional de Igrejas Cristãs: CONIC), and the Ecumenical Centre for Bible Studies (Centro Ecumênico de Estudos Bíblicos: CEBI) in Mato Grosso do Sul. It also publishes news about the situation of indigenous peoples in other regions around the country in their struggle for territorial demarcation.