In November 2019, the Tupinamb\u00e1 learned that the Brazilian Tourism Institute (Embratur) was lobbying on behalf of a Portuguese hotel company, asking the Ministry of Justice to cancel the demarcation process of the Tupinamb\u00e1 de Oliven\u00e7a Indigenous Land. Embratur sought to facilitate construction of a resort by the Vila Gal\u00e9 group in the municipality of Una. Conflicts over the demarcation of the Indigenous Land have been continuing for nearly two decades. The National Indian Foundation (Funai) began the process in 2004 and, in 2009, published the Circumstantiated Identification and Delimitation Report (RCID). Since 2012, the Tupinamb\u00e1 have been waiting for the declaratory order for the area to be signed. As soon as the demarcation began, local ranchers and other individuals and groups opposing the Tupinamb\u00e1, hired gunmen and financed smear campaigns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since the Tupinamb\u00e1 began to retake the lands in 2004, the police and paramilitary groups committed a series of violent acts, including the torture and arrest of Tupinamb\u00e1 leaders. In October 2008, a Federal Police operation left 14 indigenous people dead, and destroyed school vehicles, houses, furniture, documents, school files and crops. In June 2009, 5 Indigenous people were tortured by members of the Federal Police. Examinations by the Instituto M\u00e9dico Legal [Legal Medical Institute] identified marks from electric shocks, which suggested the use of \u201ccruel methods\u201d. According to reports by Glic\u00e9ria Tupinamb\u00e1, Indigenous people also had their clothes burned and they were tied up and thrown on ant hills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2010, Glic\u00e9ria Tupinamb\u00e1 (Glic\u00e9ria Jesus da Silva), Chief Babau (Rosivaldo Ferreira da Silva) and Gil Tupinamb\u00e1 (Givaldo Ferreira da Silva) were arrested. The arrest of Glic\u00e9ria, Babau\u2019s sister, was particularly serious, because she was incarcerated with her two-month-old son, and got sick in jail. A similar thing happened to cacique [chief] Maria Valdelice Amaral de Jesus, who was arrested in 2011 and accused of forming a criminal organization. Relatives of the chief complained at the time that her health was threatened, since she was prevented from taking her medicine with her, even though she had hypertension. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2013, there were a series of attacks against the Tupinamb\u00e1 in in the rural and urban portions of Buerarema. Houses and personal belongings of Indigenous people in the urban portion of the municipality were burned. In the village of Serra do Padeiro, a school vehicle was ambushed with gunshots. Another school vehicle was burned at night. According to reports by Indigenous people, the owner of a transportation company was constantly being threatened, including on the local radio news of the R\u00e1dio Jornal de Itabuna. He was threatened with further vehicle burnings if he didn\u2019t stop working for the Indigenous people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Glic\u00e9ria, in March 2014 the Tupinamb\u00e1 were surrounded by the Federal Police and other security forces, and were even buzzed by helicopters. When this happened, participants in social movements and traditional community representatives who were gathered for the Cabruca and Mata Atl\u00e2ntica Peoples\u2019 March, went to the village to support the struggle. This strategy is seen in the region in cases of large-scale attacks, which demonstrates the creation of mutual bonds and strategies for the struggle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since 2012, the demarcation process has shown no sign of progress, while, the threats, attacks and defamations have intensified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another violent tactic employed against demarcation is the use of the media to defame and invalidate the identity of the Tupinamb\u00e1. The idea that they are \u201cfake Indians\u201d has been promoted by local newspapers, such as A Regi\u00e3o<\/em> and Agora<\/em>, by blogs, by the R\u00e1dio Jornal de Itabuna radio station, and even by national television stations such as Bandeirantes. These sources have even been the platforms for threats against Indigenous people. They constantly call the Tupinamb\u00e1 \u201csupposed Indians\u201d or \u201cfake Indians\u201d. When they refer to them as Indigenous people, they almost always use quotation marks, to reinforce language that invalidates them as a people. This linguistic tool directly serves the interests of local political and judicial representatives, such as Judge Antonio Hygino, of the Buerarema district, who was responsible for the 2010 arrest order for Glic\u00e9ria. In interviews, the judge has referred to the Tupinamb\u00e1 as \u201cpeople who call themselves Indians.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Cacique Babau is one of the main targets of this racist discourse, which denies his Indigenous identity. One of the newspaper articles analyzed, accused him of being, \u201ca caboclo<\/em> [person of mixed-race] without any Indigenous descent who simply declared himself to be an Indian.\u201d In addition, as we have seen, he is also constantly persecuted and criminalized. In his case, the aggressive defamation is not limited to local newspapers, but also appears in larger publications, such as \u00c9poca<\/em> magazine. In 2009 it called him \u201cTupinanmb\u00e1 Lampi\u00e3o [after a famous Brazilian outlaw], and wrote an article with violent and racist discourse that defamed the cacique. In 2019, Cacique Babau was once again the victim of persecution, and a plan to murder some of his relatives was uncovered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This history reveals the combined efforts of individuals, the media, government agents, security forces and paramilitary groups to violate the Tupinamb\u00e1 people\u2019s rights. The media delegitimizes their identity and promotes a discourse that criminalizes Indigenous people, creating a bad image of them and fomenting conflict. These arguments to invalidate the demarcation of the Tupinamb\u00e1 de Oliven\u00e7a Indigenous Land serve private interests, including those of companies like Vila Gal\u00e9. The hotel chain, in an official statement, said that the Indigenous people had only \u201cturned up\u201d in the area after the project became known. The document also said, \u201cDespite this, (Vida Gal\u00e9) has been the target of those who embrace media causes, which only appear to be just, and use falsehoods, without making even a minimal effort to obtain the real facts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In response to the mobilization by Indigenous peoples to denounce the criminal actions of the Vila Gal\u00e9 group (for example writing a denunciation letter) the resort project was cancelled. However, the company said it was moving ahead with other projects in the region. The demarcation process also remains paralyzed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Links:<\/p>\n\n\n\n BITTENCOURT, M\u00e1rio. 2019. Cacique baiano busca prote\u00e7\u00e3o ap\u00f3s relatar amea\u00e7as de morte. In: Correio. Salvador, 14 fev. Available at: https:\/\/www.correio24horas.com.br\/noticia\/nid\/cacique-baiano-busca-protecao-apos-relatar-ameacas-de-morte\/. Accessed: 16 Nov. 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CAMPANHA TUPINAMB\u00c1. 2013. Tupinamb\u00e1s da Serra do Padeiro atacados a tiros. Terra Ind\u00edgena Tupinamb\u00e1 de Oliven\u00e7a, 26 ago. Available at: https:\/\/campanhatupinamba.wordpress.com\/2013\/08\/26\/indigenas-tupinambas-da-aldeia-serra-do-padeiro-bahia-sao-atacados-a-tiros-tem-casas-incendiadas-e-producao-agricola-roubada\/. Accessed: 16 Nov. 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CONSELHO INDIGENISTA MISSION\u00c1RIO. 2019. Povo Tupinamb\u00e1 de Oliven\u00e7a pede investiga\u00e7\u00e3o sobre projeto de hotel de luxo portugu\u00eas em seu territ\u00f3rio. In: Conselho Indigenista Mission\u00e1rio \u2013 Not\u00edcias. Bras\u00edlia, 1 nov. Available at: https:\/\/cimi.org.br\/2019\/11\/povo-tupinamba-olivenca-pede-investigacao-projeto-hotel-luxo-territorio\/. Accessed: 16 Nov. 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n FUNDA\u00c7\u00c3O OSWALDO CRUZ. Escola Nacional de Sa\u00fade P\u00fablica Sergio Arouca. N\u00facleo Ecologias, Epistemologias e Promo\u00e7\u00e3o Emancipat\u00f3ria da Sa\u00fade. [201-]. BA \u2013 Comprometimento dos direitos humanos do Povo Tupinamb\u00e1 da Serra do Padeiro \u2013 doen\u00e7as, viol\u00eancia policial, coronelismo e condi\u00e7\u00f5es prec\u00e1rias da sa\u00fade ind\u00edgena. In: Mapa de Conflitos Envolvendo Injusti\u00e7a Ambiental e Sa\u00fade no Brasil. Rio de Janeiro. Available at: http:\/\/mapadeconflitos.ensp.fiocruz.br\/?conflito=ba-comprometimento-dos-direitos-humanos-do-povo-tupinamba-da-serra-do-padeiro-doencas-violencia-policial-coronelismo-e-condicoes-precarias-da-saude-indigena. Accessed: 16 Nov. 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n HELENO, Haroldo. 2016. Tupinamb\u00e1 da aldeia Serra do Padeiro \u00e9 assassinado no sul da Bahia. In: Comiss\u00e3o Pastoral da Terra. Goi\u00e2nia, 28 nov. Available at: https:\/\/www.cptnacional.org.br\/quem-somos\/12-noticias\/conflitos\/3526-tupinamba-da-aldeia-serra-do-padeiro-e-assassinado-no-sul-da-bahia. Accessed: 16 Nov. 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u00cdNDIO\u201d Babau alega amea\u00e7a de morte. 2019. In: A Regi\u00e3o. Itabuna, 11 fev. Available at: https:\/\/www.aregiao.com.br\/noticias\/2019\/02\/indio-babau-alega-ameaca-de-morte.html. Accessed: 16 Nov. 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u00cdNDIOS\u201d bloqueiam a ponte do Pontal. 2019. In: A Regi\u00e3o. Itabuna, 7 out. Available at: https:\/\/www.aregiao.com.br\/noticias2\/2019\/10\/indios-bloqueiam-a-ponte-do-pontal.html. Accessed: 16 Nov. 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00cdNDIOS ONLINE. 2010. Tupinamb\u00e1s da Aldeia Serra do Padeiro \u2013 Sitiados pelo Poder de Pol\u00edcia pertencente \u00e0 Federa\u00e7\u00e3o. In: Terras Ind\u00edgenas no Brasil. S\u00e3o Paulo, Instituto Socioambiental, 10 maio. Available at: https:\/\/terrasindigenas.org.br\/pt-br\/noticia\/84653. Accessed: 16 Nov. 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u00cdNDIOS\u201d protestam sem informa\u00e7\u00e3o. 2019. In: A Regi\u00e3o. Itabuna, 28 mar. Available at: https:\/\/www.aregiao.com.br\/noticias\/03-01-2019_03-31-2019.html. Accessed: 16 Nov. 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n LEMOS, Davi. 2014. Policiais e ind\u00edgenas entram em conflito armado no sul. In: A Tarde. Bahia, 29 jan. Available at: https:\/\/atarde.uol.com.br\/bahia\/noticias\/1564968-policiais-e-indigenas-entram-em-conflito-armado-no-sul. Accessed: 16 Nov. 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n PESSOAS s\u00e3o coagidas a se cadastrar na Funai. 2014. In: Jornal da Band. S\u00e3o Paulo, 26 fev. Available at: https:\/\/videos.band.uol.com.br\/14897780\/pessoas-sao-coagidas-a-se-cadastrar-na-funai.html. Accessed: 16 Nov. 2020. <\/p>\n\n\n\n VALENTE, Rubens. 2019. L\u00edder ind\u00edgena na BA pede prote\u00e7\u00e3o \u00e0 fam\u00edlia e apura\u00e7\u00e3o de suposto plano de mortes. In: Folha de S.Paulo. S\u00e3o Paulo, 19 fev. Available at: https:\/\/www1.folha.uol.com.br\/poder\/2019\/02\/lider-indigena-na-ba-pede-protecao-a-familia-e-apuracao-de-suposto-plano-de-mortes.shtml. Accessed: 16 Nov. 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n V\u00cdDEO denuncia atentados e campanha de \u00f3dio contra ind\u00edgenas na Bahia. 2013. In: Revista F\u00f3rum. S\u00e3o Paulo, 6 set. Available at: https:\/\/revistaforum.com.br\/noticias\/video-denuncia-atentados-e-campanha-de-odio-contra-indigenas-na-bahia\/. Accessed: 16 Nov. 2020. VIEGAS, Susana de Matos. 2010. Tupinamb\u00e1 de Oliven\u00e7a. In: Povos Ind\u00edgenas no Brasil. S\u00e3o Paulo, Instituto Socioambiental. Available at: https:\/\/pib.socioambiental.org\/pt\/Povo:Tupinamb%C3%A1_de_Oliven%C3%A7a. Accessed: 16 Nov. 2020.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In November 2019, the Tupinamb\u00e1 learned that the Brazilian Tourism Institute (Embratur) was lobbying on behalf of a Portuguese hotel company, asking the Ministry of Justice to cancel the demarcation process of the Tupinamb\u00e1 de Oliven\u00e7a Indigenous Land. Embratur sought to facilitate construction of a resort by the Vila Gal\u00e9 group in the municipality of … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[],"coauthors":[17],"class_list":["post-1047","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-conflicts"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/umoutroceu.ufba.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1047","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/umoutroceu.ufba.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/umoutroceu.ufba.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umoutroceu.ufba.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umoutroceu.ufba.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1047"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/umoutroceu.ufba.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1047\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1279,"href":"https:\/\/umoutroceu.ufba.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1047\/revisions\/1279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/umoutroceu.ufba.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1047"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umoutroceu.ufba.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1047"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umoutroceu.ufba.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1047"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umoutroceu.ufba.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=1047"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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