Raposa Serra-do SolThe Makuxi, Wapixana, Ingarikó, Taurepang and Patamona peoples inhabit a land called Raposa-Serra do Sol (Land of the Fox and Mountain of the Sun) in northern Brazil. Their terriorty spans out about 1.7 million hectares and is inhabited by 18,000 to 20,000 tribers. Although having contact with the outside world, they still keep their culture and language. Many of these communities have their own education and healthcare projects. They have also set up several organizations to help defend their rights. In April 2005 the president of Brazil Luis Inácio Lula da Silva signed Raposa-Serra do Sol to tribe. This was a huge milestone for them. In the last few decades many Indians have been killed and injured because of the tireless struggle to keep their land. A group of rice farmers have targeted this group of people. They use violent tactics such as shooting and wounding at least ten Indians, burning bridges to prevent Indians entering or leaving their land, and throwing a bomb into one community to get the land. Although there are nearly 20,000 people living on the land, the rice farmers claim that they have too much land and are obstacles in state development. But, in March 2009 the Supreme Court stuck with their previous decision and upheld the Indians rights to their land. |