From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: BRAZIL SELLS OUT INDIANS, ENVIRONMENT MILITARY AND PREDATORY
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1992 02:13:09 GMT

** Topic: Action Alert **
** Written  2:31 pm  Aug 18, 1992 by hrcoord in cdp:gen.nativenet **
Original-Sender: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord@igc.apc.org>

/* Written  7:34 am  Aug 18, 1992 by edf in cdp:ax.brasil */

    URGENT ACTION - BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT SELLS OUT INDIANS, ENVIRONMENT TO
                MILITARY AND PREDATORY DEVELOPMENT INTERESTS


Brazilian President Fernando Collor de Mello is attempting to deal away the
possibility of any further demarcation of Indian lands or creation of
environmentally protected areas in Brazil in a desperate bid for military and
developers support to keep in him office. A Congressional investigation has
clearly and publicly linked Collor to massive corruption, influence peddling
and extortion by his campaign treasurer, P.C. Farias and will likely recomend
his impeachment. Collor has in effect auctioned off governmental office to
buy 1/3 of the votes in Congress and block the impeachment proceedings.
COLLOR HAS ALSO INSTRUCTED THE SECRETARY OF ENVIRONMENT AND
MINISTER OF JUSTICE THAT ANY INDIAN LAND DEMARCATIONS AND
CREATION OF PROTECTED AREAS WILL HENCEFORTH NEED APPROVAL
FROM THE CHIEFS OF STAFF OF THE ARMED FORCES, THE NATIONAL
DEPARTMENT OF MINERAL PRODUCTION, THE NATIONAL ELECTRICAL
POWER COMPANY AND THE NATIONAL AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AGENCY.

This is a political payoff to sectors of the military that have vehemently
opposed recognition of Indian lands or creation of environmentally protected
areas in the Amazon.

Leading Brazilian NGOs (the Ecumenical Center for Documentation and
Information - CEDI; the Federation of Social and Educational Assisstance
Organs - FASE; and the Nucleus for Indigenous Rights - NDI) have denounced
the maneuver as subverting the Brazilian constitution and grossly abusing
democratic process. Marcos Coimbra, Secretary General of the Presidency
informed the Environment Secretary and Justice Minister of the change in a
memo (aviso 745)-- an administrative act devoid of legal status and hidden
from public scrutiny.

The changes impose major obstacles to the creation of Indigenous and
naturally protected areas. This jeopardizes the G7 Pilot Program for the
Conservation of Brazilian Tropical Forest (to which the G7 countries have
pledged $250 million, including substantial funds for Indian land demarcation
and creation of portected areas), the Rondonia Natural Resource Management
Program ($167 million), and the Mato Grosso Natural Resource Management
Program ($205 million), both financed by the World Bank. Collor, in a
desperate scramble to stay in power in the face of rising public outrage, has
turned his back on major international commitments.

FAX, TELEX, OR WRITE:                               and (in US)
Ilmo. Sr. Fernando Collor de Mello      Ambassador Rubens Ricupero
Presidente da Republica                 Brazilian Embassy
Palacio do Planalto                     3006 Massachussets Ave. N.W.
70.150 Brasilia D.F.                    Washington D.C. 20008
Brasil                                  fax- 202 745 2728
telex - 611088, fax - 55 61 226 7566

A letter sent by various US environmental groups follows:


August 14, 1992

Fernando Collor de Mello
Presidente da Republica
Palacio do Planalto
70.150 Brasilia, D.F.
Brasil

Dear Mr. President:

      It has come to our attention that your government has substantially
changed procedures for the demarcation of Indian lands and the creation of
environmental conservation areas. We are gravely concerned by the
implications of these changes for the environment and indigenous peoples'
rights in Brazil.

      On July 15, 1992 the Secretary General of the Presidency of the
Republic, Ambassador Marcos Coimbra, issued "Aviso no. 745", on your order.
The memo informs the Secretary of Environment and the Minister of Justice
that thenceforth the creation of new environmentally protected areas and the
demarcation of Indian lands is conditioned on the views of the chiefs of staff
of the armed forces (Estado Maior das Forcas Armadas); the National
Department of Mineral Production (DNPM); the national electrical power
company (Eletrobras); and the Brazilian Agricultural Research Company
(EMBRAPA).

       Our organizations strongly supported your action in favor of the
demarcation of the Yanomami Indian territory.  We further supported your
government's proposals for concessional assistance for the Pilot Program for
the Conservation of Brazilian Tropical Forest presented to the Group of Seven
Economic Summit in June of 1991. We  appealed vigorously to our
government for the allocation of scarce US resources to this program in a
time of severe budgetary constraints, and urged our European colleagues to
do the same. The "Coimbra memo" gravely threatens the integrity of the G7
Pilot Program.  It also compromises the feasibility of two regional land use
zoning programs, for which your government has undertaken substantial
international commitments--the Rondonia Natural Resource Management
Program and the Mato Grosso Natural Resource Management Program, both
financed by the World Bank.

      Brazilian nongovernmental groups affirm that the intent of the Coimbra
memo is unconstitutional on various grounds. They further note that the
memo is an administrative act devoid of legal status, and not subject to even
the minimal public scrutiny permitted by official publication.

      Our organizations have repudiated illegal efforts by the executive branch
of our government to circumvent environmental legislation and subvert the
public right to know of and participate in government decisions. We are
working closely with the Congress to put a halt to such abuses. We
unconditionally support our Brazilian colleagues in their opposition to this
similar attack on the environment, indigenous peoples, and democratic
process in Brazil.

                                   Sincerely,


Bruce Rich                                    Stephan Schwartzman
Director, International Program               Senior Scientist
Environmental Defense Fund                    Environmental Defense Fund

On Behalf of:

Barbara J. Bramble                            Angela O. Harkavy
Director, International Program               United Nations Coordinator
National Wildlife Federation                  National Wildlife Federation

Larry Williams                                Glenn Prickett
Washington Director                           Senior Associate
International Program                         International Program
Sierra Club                                   Natural Resources Defense
                                                    Council
David Downes
Attorney
Center for International
      Envionmental Law

cc:

Ambassador Rubens Ricupero
David Mulford - Treasury Department
Bernard Aronson - Department of State
** End of text from cdp:gen.nativenet **
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