Government Admits Lack of Barriers Against Covid-19 in Eight Indigenous Territories

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The federal government conceded to the Supreme Court (STF) that eight indigenous lands do not have any kind of health barrier to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus to isolated or recently contacted Indians.

The official data was forwarded to the Court by Solicitor General José Levy, in response to the ruling of Justice Luiz Roberto Barroso, rapporteur of the ADPF (Lawsuit against Noncompliance with Fundamental Precept) brought by indigenous organizations and leaders challenging the measures implemented by the government.

In the document, the government details a schedule for installation and admits that sanitary protection is lacking in the territories of Alto Rio Negro (Amazonas), Alto Turiaçú (Maranhão), Avá-Canoeiro (Goiás), Enawanê-Nawê (Mato Grosso), Juma (Amazonas), Kaxinawa do Rio Humaitá (Acre), Mamoadate (Acre), and Pirahã (Amazonas).

Four months after the start of the pandemic, the SESAI (Special Secretariat of Indigenous Health), linked to the Ministry of Health, recorded on Wednesday, July 2th, 15,000 cases of infected indigenous and 276 deaths. However, the figure is disputed by bodies and NGOs (non-governmental organizations) working in the assistance of indigenous peoples.

A survey by the Coordination of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) recorded 19,700 cases and 590 deaths. In all, the government speaks of 217 health barriers active in the country through “BAPES” (Bases for Environmental Protection) in the Legal Amazon. During the meetings of the situation room, established by Barroso to discuss the management of actions to fight the pandemic, APIB officials and consultants appointed by organizations challenged the figures presented.

They claim that the government regards the BAPES as locations for containment of the health emergency. The researchers explain that the bases can be used as a physical barrier, but they should not be mistaken for sanitary barriers. The officials will call for nine items for the physical barriers to be considered sanitary measures too. They demand protection and hygiene equipment for professionals working on them, testing professionals and other people passing through the area, as well as a quarantine for those who intend to enter, among other items.

“From this conceptual confusion [between physical and sanitary barriers], they ultimately place only eight indigenous lands [as a priority] in their plan, when, in fact, the APIB’s request was to place sanitary barriers on 31 lands that have isolated indigenous peoples,” says attorney Luiz Henrique Eloy, who represents the organization.

The APIB claims none of the other 23 lands with isolated indigenous have health barriers. In addition, they add that some do not even have BAPES, unlike what the government claims. The association decided to submit its own plan to the federal government, with its own recommendations. In addition to their criticism of the presented text, the researchers argue that drawing up a single plan for all indigenous lands would not be feasible, since each one has its own specifics.

The researchers also intend to add a list of items required to build a health barrier. According to them, the government does not enact protocols nor does it provide basic equipment for the operation of barriers in these locations. “The field teams of the ethno-environmental protection fronts acting at the bases in place work with a shortage of human and budgetary resources.”

“The plan presented by the government does not include a detailing of these two essential shortcomings,” said Leonardo Lenin Santos, executive secretary of OPI (Observatory of Human Rights of Isolated and Recent Contact Indigenous Peoples) and former coordinator of FUNAI’s Protection and Location of Isolated Indians. The assessment by organizations is contained in a preliminary opinion that will be forwarded to Justice Barroso on Monday, August 3rd.

The consultants say that there is no contingency plan ready to monitor a potential contact of infected people with the 28 isolated indigenous peoples. According to the document, structures such as helicopters and boats nearby would be required for assistance. “We are talking about situations such as that which occurred in the Arariboia indigenous land, in Maranhão, where a conflict between isolated people and Guajajaras could result in a situation of infection.

The team was only deployed weeks after the event and with no support from health experts to assess whether or not there was contagion, explained the indigenist worker. One item ignored by the government in the documents forwarded to the STF was the plan to prevent the invasion of prospectors, hunters, and loggers in these areas.

On July 8th, President Jair Bolsonaro vetoed a project that deals with social protection measures to prevent the infection and spread of Covid-19 in indigenous territories. Among the vetoes published in the Federal Gazette is the government’s obligation to provide drinking water, hygiene, hospital beds, and an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to indigenous peoples. Barroso ordered the immediate installation of sanitary barriers to protect isolated or recently contacted indigenous peoples.

At least 18 ethnic groups are among these unprotected groups in the states of Amazonas, Acre, Goiás, Mato Grosso, and Maranhão. Barroso’s decision partially enforced the rules of a new law that had been vetoed by Bolsonaro. They provided for the preparation of contingency plans specifically for isolated or recently contacted peoples.

The Ministry of Health announced in June that it had invested some R$70 million in actions to protect the indigenous in order to tackle Covid-19. Questioned, the GSI (Institutional Security Office), which coordinates the situation room, said questions would be answered through the ADPF. FUNAI said it will not comment.

Source: Folhapress

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