Brazil: Indigenous organizations ask OAS to intercede for Pataxó

The Articulation of the Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (Apib) and the Articulation of the Indigenous Peoples and Organizations of the Northeast, Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo (Apoinme) requested that the human rights commission of the Organization of American States (OAS) determine that the Brazilian authorities adopt urgent measures to guarantee the life and integrity of the residents of Barra Velha and Comexatiba. These are Pataxó communities located in the extreme south of Bahia state, a region of intense land conflicts.

In the document sent to OAS, the indigenous organizations stated that since June last year, the communities have been facing continuous violence such as “threats, armed sieges, shootings in the communities, as well as defamation and disinformation campaigns by the local media and public institutions.” They also requested the completion of the demarcation process of the lands traditionally occupied by the Pataxó community.

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Apib and Apoinme informed that at least three indigenous Pataxó people have been killed recently in southern Bahia.

Minister of Indigenous Peoples Sonia Guajajara, and Federal Representative Joenia Wapichana, who will take over the presidency of the national indigenous foundation FUNAI in February, used social media to condemn the crimes. Bahia’s governor Jerônimo Rodrigues promised to give priority to clarifying the case.