5-25-12: After our tour today, the Cacique brought our group to a small restaurant in Pesqueira where he ordered a large meal for us. He was sure to include "batatas fritas" (French Fries) and multiple large glass bottles of Coca-Cola along with the local cuisine for his American guests. While attempting to read the menu in Portuguese, I realized that the first meals offered were large, communal meals - like the one the Cacique had ordered for us - and that ordering an individual meal was not the norm due to its placement further back on the menu. This is one of the major differences from American culture that I have noticed. Everyone in the Xukuru territory seems to do everything together or for the good of each other, and that meals are always shared and are comparable to social event. am told that this is because their society more closely relates to a sociocentric society while a majority of American society is based on the individual, instead of the collective.

Overall the afternoon was a memorable one with good food, intriguing conversation, and great new friends. - Beth

Today is Friday, May 25th and my students, Lee (from Global Citizens Network), and I spent the day with Cacique Marquinho, who woke us up early to show us the total perimeter of the Xukuru lands. Helena had coffee, French bread, butter, and fruits for us to eat for breakfast. We began our tour in the Aldeia (village of Santana where Marquinho lives) and drove to the following aldais: Corodantas, Coral de Boi, Cimbres, Jatoba, Coral Velheo, Passagem, Calderao, Pao de Acuca, Pe de Serra dos Nogeira, Pe de Serra de Sao Sebastao, Capim de Planta, Canna Brava, and back to Santana. Cimbres is a historic city with the church Nossa Senhora das Montanhas. This church was central to the attempted assassination of Cacique Marcos Xukuru because it has been part of an ongoing battle between local politicians, businessmen, and a small number of Xukuru. This is another story, which I'll tell later. The total tour took us approximately six hours. As we passed through each aldeia, Marquinho stopped and talked to everyone we passed, usually because everyone has some kind of problem or issue they needed to talk to him about. That gave us an opportunity to meet many local people, learn about the issues that needed attention in each aldaia, and to get out of the car and walk around or take pictures. I'm posting photos of our tour with this short post. The Xukuru territory is large, but today there almost 12,000 Xukuru living on 27,555 kilometers. There is a growing need to expand the territory that they currently have. On our tour we saw how the Xukuru are developing various agro-petrol projects for alternative combustible fuels. The Brazilian government is interested in developing a variety of new types of fuel for cars and trucks and for industrial use that includes a plant called 'mamona'. They already have an enormous production of fuel made of sugar cane that is the major type of fuel for Rio de Janeiro and a variety of other urban centers. This is the 'mamona' plant:

The spiny balls at the top of the 'mamona' plant is used to make fuel for cars. This is the fruit called graviola:

When you break open the fruit it is white, with seed packets that are sweet and juicy. The packets have a shiny, black seed that can be used to make jewelry. In the area of Calderao, a large project is underway to transform the land. Most of the Xukuru lands were denuded due to cattle ranching and over the last 11 years they have been reforesting the land with native plants and with fruit trees and types of vegetables that grow well in this area and that don't rob the soil of it nutrients. in Calderao (in the Rebiera, and area that has enough water to plant and grow crops) they are planting many fruit trees (papaya, bannana, goiaba, graviola), lettuce, carrots, onions, beans, corn, cilantro, and coconut trees. This area is a model project for this area of the Xukuru land. There are three regions with three different climates: Serra (wet), Rebiera (less water than the Serra, but enough to do successful agriculture), and finally Agreste (dry - grow food for cattle that is called "palma" and is a kind of cactus). Each climate zone must be understood in terms of the types of vegetation that naturally and historically grow there, and in terms of future plans that seek to increase production while also protecting the soil through the use of sustainable organic agriculture. The Xukuru are working to increase their production while maintaining their collective way of life which includes making decisions about all aspects of their community life. The foundation from which all decisions are made is the fundamental knowledge and acknowledgement that the earth is sacred and that life depends on an interdependence between the natural cycles of nature, the interrelationship between humans, animals, plants, and the environment, and an unwavering respect for nature. My students will be writing about their experiences today and are also including photos that they took on our trip. ---------------------------------ERIN: 5/25/2012 Today Cacique Marcos took us on tour of the Xukuru territory. On the tour you could see how charismatic, kind, and reliable he is. As we went on our tour Cacique would stop to talk to people, he seemed to know everyone and treat everyone like a family member, because the Xukuru people are like a family they take care of each other and share there resources as well as talents with everyone in the community.

I also found it very interesting how the territory is able to communicate, the territory is very large and the road are very poor making it hard to get around. Some of the villages only have one telephone. People use word of mouth or travailing nurses to help communicate.

This is the Formal Letter from the 12th Assembly of the Xukuru People - Originally Posted on the web page of CIMI (The Catholic Indigenous Missionary - link provided below) This letter outlines the organized and collectively identified mission and goals of the Xukuru for the coming year (2012 - 2013) and summarizes the issues discussed at this year's assembly. Xukuru People of Ororubá conduct assembly with focus on agriculture through Living Well Original posting CIMI: http://www.cimi.org.br/site/pt-br/?system=news&conteudo_id=6285&action=read Translation by Meg Kidd - Sent to us by Meg on May 25, 2012: For a militant agriculture through for Living Well, which breaks with the colonized perspectiveof utilization of Mother Earth, the Xukuru of Ororubá held between Thursday May 17th and Sunday 20th , the XII Assembly of the people with the traditional warrior descent from the Sierra Ororubá toward Pesqueira, Pernambuco, symbol and memory of the struggle of the Xukuru people for occupation of the territory. At the end of the encounter, the indigenous people wrote a letter with the main points discussed in the four-day meeting. Read in full: Letter from the XII Assembly of the Xukuru of Ororubá We, the Xukuru People of Ororubá, men and women illuminated by the force of Sacred Nature, met in the XII Assembly, which had as theme: "Limolaigo Toípe - Land of the Ancestors: Xukuru Agriculture practicing Living Well", from May 17 to 20, 2012 in the village of Capim de Planta, with representatives of the villages: Pão de Açucar, Pé de Serra, Cana Brava, Brejinho, Afetos, Caípe, Caetano, Couro Dantas, Oiti, Caldeirão, Capim de Planta, Lagoa, Cimbres, Sucupira, Guarda Jatobá, Pedra d`água, Curral Velho, São José, Gitó, Mascarenhas, Santana, Passagem e Cajueiro; in addition to partners and allies of our people, among them: the Potiguara People, Truká People, Xukuru Kariri People, Wassu Cocal People, Kapinawá People, Kambiwá People, CIMI, APOINME, la Quilombo Community la Negros do Osso,, SESAI, SECRETARIAT OF AGRICULTURE, SAF / MDA, SEDUC, IPA, CONSEA / PE, ADAGRO, State Secretariat for Women, the State Secretariat of Education, SEAF, Movemento Mangue- Crew, Movemento Pé no Chão, Rede Reflectação, Centro Josué de Castro, CDAPP and DIOCESE DE PESQUEIRA. Concerned with the dwelling of our Ancestors, and our relationship with Mother Earth, we reflect on the type of agriculture that we desire. Observing the current practices and uses in our territory, we identify and reflect on the elements that might make fragile and those that can strengthen the Project for the Future of our people. Recuperating the memory of other assemblies, we verified that concern for Mother Earth has always been present. In this meeting, we deepen the debate to ensure our autonomy in syntony with the principles of Good Living and of Sacred Nature. Thus, we believe that Xukuru Agriculture has as principles: • Respect for Mother Earth; • Ensure the collective usufruct of the Xukuru territory and the free Earth; • To attend to the basic necessities of the family and not the accumulation of wealth in the hands of the few; • The consciousness of care and concern, and not of exploitation of nature ensuring our Health This consciousness has an intimate relationship with the Education of the people, valuing also learning with others in daily living; • Dialogue with Sacred Nature, for it is she who is able to give the answers for the time of planting and harvesting, and conducting tilling of the fields; having as reference the customs of our ancestors; • To esteem in equality of the conditions in access to all that nature offers us; • Not to commercialize, but to preserve, protect and care for our Mother Earth; • To recognize the mutual rights and responsibilities for the common good; • Everything must be done with autonomy and liberty, free from the production rules of the market and from government policies contrary to our project of life. We reaffirm that for us nature is sacred, is the dwelling place of our enchantments. To injure her is to commit to our own lives and those of all living beings. While we have water, earth and forest we exist and live well. For this, we have to live practices that ensure the land be free, the waters alive and the forests protected. The religion is our source of strength and wisdom. The Xukuru People are opposed to any and all governmental practice that disrespects the dignity and lives of the Indigenous Peoples of Brazil. Therefore, we oppose the approval of PEC 215 and the PEC 038 and, in addition to development projects such as the PAC. And in opposition to any measure that might injure the rights of indigenous peoples, in particular Articles 231 and 232 of the Federal Constitution of 1988. That the government respect the decision of the indigenous peoples, quilombolas and traditional communities in order to have time for a broader discussion on the regulation of the consultation process as recommended by Convention 169 of the ILO. Aldeia Capim de Planta, May 19, 2012. And tell the people to go forth! *** Povo Xukuru do Ororubá realiza assembleia com foco na agricultura pelo Bem Viver Inserido por: Administrador em 23/05/2012. Fonte da notícia: Assessoria de Comunicação - Cimi http://www.cimi.org.br/site/pt-br/?system=news&conteudo_id=6285&action=read Por uma agricultura militante pelo Bem Viver, que rompa com a perspectiva colonizada de utilização da Mãe terra, o povo Xukuru do Ororubá realizou entre a última quinta-feira, 17, e domingo, 20, a XII Assembleia do povo com a guerreira e tradicional descida da Serra do Ororubá rumo ao município de Pesqueira, Pernambuco, símbolo e memória da luta do povo Xukuru pela ocupação do território. Ao final do encontro, os indígenas escreveram uma carta com os principais pontos debatidos nos quatro dias de assembleia. Leia na íntegra: Carta da XII Assembleia do povo Xukuru do Ororubá Nós, Povo Xukuru do Ororubá, iluminados e iluminadas pela força da Natureza Sagrada, nos reunimos na XII Assembleia, que teve como Tema: “Limolaigo Toípe – Terra dos Ancestrais: Agricultura Xukuru praticando o Bem Viver”, no período de 17 a 20 de maio de 2012, na aldeia Capim de Planta, com representantes das aldeias: Pão de Açucar, Pé de Serra, Cana Brava, Brejinho, Afetos, Caípe, Caetano, Couro Dantas, Oiti, Caldeirão, Capim de Planta, Lagoa, Cimbres, Sucupira, Guarda Jatobá, Pedra d`água, Curral Velho, São José, Gitó, Mascarenhas, Santana, Passagem e Cajueiro; além dos parceiros e aliados do nosso povo, dentre eles: Povo Potiguara, Povo Truká, Povo Xukuru Kariri, Povo Wassu Cocal, Povo Kapinawá, Povo Kambiwá, CIMI, APOINME, Comunidade Quilombo la Negros do Osso, SESAI, SECRETARIA DE AGRICULTURA, SAF/MDA, SEDUC, IPA, CONSEA/PE, ADAGRO, Secretaria Estadual da Mulher, Secretaria Estadual de Educação, SEAF, Movimento Mangue-Crew, Movimento Pé no Chão, Rede Reflectação, Centro Josué de Castro, CDAPP e DIOCESE DE PESQUEIRA. Preocupados com a morada de nossos Ancestrais, e a nossa relação com a Mãe Terra, realizamos uma reflexão sobre o tipo de agricultura que desejamos. Observando as práticas e usos atuais em nosso território, identificamos e refletimos sobre os elementos que poderiam fragilizar e aqueles que podem fortalecem o Projeto de Futuro de nosso povo. Recuperando a memória de outras assembleias, verificamos que a preocupação com a Mãe Terra sempre esteve presente. Neste encontro, aprofundamos o debate para garantir a nossa autonomia em sintonia com os princípios do Bem Viver e da Natureza Sagrada. Deste modo, entendemos que a Agricultura Xukuru tem como princípios: • O respeito à Mãe Terra; • Garantir o usufruto coletivo do território Xukuru e a Terra livre; • Atender as necessidades básicas da família e, não o acúmulo de riquezas nas mãos de poucos; • A consciência de cuidado e zelo, e não de exploração da natureza garantindo a nossa Saúde. Esta consciência tem relação íntima com a Educação do povo, valorizando também o aprendizado com o outro, na convivência diária; • O diálogo com a Natureza Sagrada, pois é ela quem pode dar as respostas para o tempo de plantio e colheita, além da condução da lavoura; tendo como referência os costumes de nossos ancestrais; • Prezar pela igualdade de condições no acesso a tudo que a natureza nos oferece; • Não comercializar, mas, preservar, zelar e cuidar da nossa Mãe Terra; • Reconhecer os direitos e responsabilidades mutua para o bem comum; • Tudo deve ser realizado com autonomia e liberdade, livre das regras da produção de mercado e de políticas de governo contrárias ao nosso projeto de vida. Reafirmamos que para nós a natureza é sagrada, é o local de morada dos nossos encantos. Feri-la é comprometer as nossas próprias vidas e de todos os seres viventes. Enquanto tivermos água, terra e mata nós existiremos e bem viveremos. Para isso, temos que vivenciar práticas que garantam a terra livre, as águas vivas e as matas protegidas. A religiosidade é nossa fonte de força e sabedoria. O Povo Xukuru é contra toda e qualquer prática governamental que desrespeite a dignidade e a vida dos Povos Indígenas do Brasil. Portanto, somos contra a aprovação da PEC 215 e a PEC 038, além dos projetos desenvolvimentistas como o PAC. E contra qualquer medida que venha a ferir os direitos indígenas, em especial os artigos 231 e 232 da Constituição Federal de 1988. Que o governo respeite a decisão dos povos indígenas, quilombolas e comunidades tradicionais para que se tenha um tempo para uma discussão mais ampla sobre a regulamentação do processo de consulta como preconiza a convenção 169 da OIT. Aldeia Capim de Planta, 19 de maio de 2012. E diga ao povo que avance!

5/24/12 Day two was the day of the mass and the march, and it was absolutely incredible. We woke up bright and early and were ready to follow Cacique Marcos out the door at 8 am. We hopped in the bed of the pickup (my new favorite thing :) ) and drove high up into the mountains until we couldn’t go any further because the road was too treacherous. (The roads here are terrible because they can’t afford to fix any of them. And when I say terrible, I mean dirt roads in conditions you can’t even imagine.) We passed so many Xukuru people driving or walking to the same site, which is incredible because just getting to the place where we had to park and THEN walk was still really, really far. From there we parked the truck and walked the rest of the way to the place where they were holding the mass. The site, Pedra do Rei (Rock of the King), is a Xukuru holy site where Xicao Xukuru, the cacique who was assassinated in 1998, is planted. Cacique Marcos’ brother and sister-in-law, who died in a motorcycle accident in 2010, are also buried there. To get to the site we walked up the mountain and then down into a valley that was a thicket of trees; inside this thicket is where everything took place. When we got there, plenty of Xukuru were already there dancing the tore (I really wish I could make accent marks on my English keyboard, because there’s supposed to be accents everywhere here). The tore (tor RAY) is a spiritual dance where they sing, chant, and dance/march/stomp their feet in a circle. It’s a lot like pow wow dancing… that’s the only thing I can compare it to. They danced until the holy man, Marcos, and a flutist came out. While the man played the flute, the holy man prayed at Xicao’s grave, then had this lit pipe from which he blew smoke all over Marcos' body to bless and protect them. He then blessed him with more prayers. They had the mass, and it was this incredible mixture of Catholicism and native spirituality. I could follow almost the entire mass, even though it was in Portuguese, because it had the same rhythm and sequences as Catholic mass back home. They also incorporated these elements of nature worship, and sang traditional Xukuru songs praying for Mother Earth to bless them and their lands. It was really, really cool. After mass, all the Xukuru people (and I’m talking about thousands) walked back to Zanilda’s house. Zanilda, Marcos’ mother, is known as the "Mother of the Xukuru," and she is an absolutely incredible woman. She’s actually been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for all the work she’s done, and people come from all over the world to try to meet with her. It’s really amazing that we get the chance to be so close to such important people. Everyone gathered outside her house and on the road; we, and other people got to go inside and hang out. Basically the point of meeting here was to get some food and rest before the big march. While we were in the house, a couple of the local boys painted our faces in a traditional Xukuru style. Mostly everyone had their faces painted or had designs stained onto their skin (almost like henna tattoos, but black). Cacique Marcos saw us and kind of chuckled and said we were American Xukuru. At 2 o'clock, we started the march at Zanilda’s house (which is high up in the mountains), and walked down the mountain all the way into the city of Pesquiera. We marched for almost three hours, but I didn’t get tired. Everyone was filled with this huge sense of energy… I actually wanted to go faster. People at the head of the march were jogging a lot of the way and I desperately wanted to be up there with them, but we all had to stick together because the crowd was so thick and getting lost would've been too easy. Trying to put the march into words is kind of difficult. Imagine thousands upon thousands of people all gathering for the same purpose. They don’t worry about themselves, they aren’t selfish; the people here think about “the collective” - the greater good. They worry about each other; they fight for each other, rather than against each other. I wish more people and more societies could be like that. The synergism that I witnessed among the crowd is indescribable.

That night while talking it came out in discussion that I’m Native American, and Marcos was completely enthralled. He said, “Marcia, how come you never told me before that she was an Indian?!” (Here, they call indigenous peoples “Indian.” It’s actually pretty backwards than our politically correct terms, because calling an indigenous person something other than an Indian or indigenous is considered offensive here.) He wanted to know all about the history of my people and all about the reservation my family lives on. He’s very interested and we have talked tons about it every day. He wants me to get active in “saving” the Spirit Lake Nation, the reservation my family is from, and says that he will help me do it. That's just the kind of person he is; even after knowing you for just a couple of days he truly cares about you and wants to know your story.

Cacique Marcos is such an inspiring person. When he talks to you, it’s like the sun is shining on you, and knowing everything he has been through makes you want to go out into the world and do nothing but good and fight tons of battles. He’s desperately trying to appeal this conviction and his trial keeps getting delayed and delayed. He has known such considerable loss in his life - the loss of his father, brother, sister-in-law, many friends, and the near loss on own his life and now his freedom. And still, you would never know that he faces this heavy of a burden every day. He laughs, smiles, plays with his children, and goes about his daily duties as the cacique, all with the weight of this on his shoulders. Not that many people have that kind of strength, and it's such an admirable thing. There are no accidents; there is a reason why the spirits chose him to become the Xukuru leader. Today, I plugged in my $90 hair straightener without the adapter (with the built-in surge protector), because everything else had been working just fine. It heated up for about 30 seconds and then blew up…. and I was furious. I mean, it couldn’t have been my $20 curling iron? Or anything else? (Like someone elses’ stuff... just kidding, guys. :) ) And then I think about what the people out here have to go through on a daily basis just to survive, and suddenly it’s not that big of a deal anymore. -Shayla

Greetings Everyone, I haven't been very active on the Xukuru Human Rights Blog recently except to post information about the legal proceedings against Cacique Marcos Xukuru and the continued support and involvement of the American Anthropological Association's Committee for Human Rights. I have created a new Brazil Field School that is housed in the Anthropology Department in the University of North Dakota. I brought three anthropology students with me to Pesquiera, Pernambuco Brazil on May 19th and the students will be here until June 8th. The goals are to gain experience in the field about who the Xukuru people are and to learn first hand about the legal criminalization of their leaders, and to learn how to apply social activism using social media to raise awareness and support for indigenous human rights in Brazil. We are now staying with the Xukuru and are actively doing service work in a variety of locations that include Xukuru schools, working in distributing organic foods by loading trucks and meeting students in local schools on Xukuru lands. The students are also receiving special lectures by a variety of leaders and local artisans and they are learning the history of the Xukuru's 30 year fight for the return of their traditional lands, formally homologated in 2001. My students will be posting on this blog daily, talking about their impressions, thoughts, ideas, and questions. We hope you will join in the dialogue, and participate with us as we spend the next three weeks with the Xukuru. They are also making a list-serve of universities across the United States with anthropology departments and anthropology clubs in order to make contact with fellow anthropology students. We hope to include them in our experiences here and to exchange information about human rights and indigenous peoples in Brazil and the United States. My students' names are Erin, Shayla, and Beth. Each entry is dated and signed by the student who wrote it.

5/23/12 - We have been in Pesquiera, since Saturday night. Time seems to work differently here, I feel like we have been here much longer. Before I left for the trip, I did not know what to expect, and now that I'm here its hard to come up with words to explain what I am experiencing. Life is very different here than at home, people speak Portuguese, a language I cannot speak and have never been exposed to before. I have learned that I need to start listening to everything not just words. There is a lot you can pick up from body language, intonation and facial expressions, and emotions. People are so kind here, so sweet and so loving. One thing that I can relate to is the family structure. I see how much the Helena loves everyone around her, and wants to make sure that everyone is comfortable. This reminds me a lot of my own German grandmother, who makes sure nobody ever leaves her house Hungary, and all her grand-children know they are loved and taken care of. The Cacique is a strong, but gentle man. He has lived a hard life, he has lost many, many people close to him, and has had threats on his own life. Although he has had these experiences in his life, he does not seem hard or unapproachable. He seems to have his young life in check, and truly care about his family, the Xukuru people, indigenous people in general, and all those he comes in contact with. It is hard as an American to imagine a leader who is so loving, kind and passionate about humanity and what he believes in. Erin

URGENT - PLEASE READ, SIGN, AND POST ON 5TH REGIONAL TRIBUNAL WEB PAGE

URGENT: PLEASE READ THIS HISTORY AND POST THE LETTER BELOW TO THE WEB PAGE OF THE 5TH REGIONAL TRIBUNAL IN RECIFE, PERNAMBUCO, BRAZIL TO HELP BOTH THE XUKURU AND ALL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF BRAZIL

Dear Friends, (LETTERS IN PORTUGUESE AND ENGLISH BELOW)

I am an associate professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of North Dakota. I have been working extensively with the Xukuru Indigenous Peoples in Pesquiera, Pernambuco for several years, and have submitted their human rights cases (assassinations, legal criminalizations, and land rights struggles) to the American Anthropological Association's Committee for Human Rights (AAA-CfHR). The AAA-CfHR has vetted my documents and publicly taken a stand in support of the Xukuru. The 5th Regional Tribunal in Recife is deciding the fate of Cacique (Chief) Marcos Xukuru on 4-17-12. An assassination attempt was made on his life in 2003 (his father, Cacique Xicao Xukuru was assassinated in 1998). Cacique Marcos escaped but two young Xukuru men in their early 20s were murdered as they struggled to save him. Cacique Marcos fled into the countryside as shots were fired after him. He was injured as he struggled to cross barbed wire fences. He was found by members of the Xukuru who took him to the hospital where he was treated and sedated. Word spread throughout the Xukuru community that an attempt was made on his life and several thousand Xukuru gathered and protested those accused of planning the assassination in the village (aldeia) of Cimbres. During these protests, cars and some buildings (homes) were burned. The Federal Police accused Cacique Marcos of inciting the "riot" - but this has been proved to be incorrect since he was in the hospital and under sedation. The assassin who murdered the two young men essentially was set free after a short incarceration. Judges in 2009 convicted Cacique Marcos Xukuru to 10 years and 4 months in prison for starting a riot. The trial was a travesty of justice, and the documentation I sent to the AAA0CfHR agreed with my findings, the Xukuru Lawyer, Gilberto Marques, and CIMI's (The Catholic Indigenous Missionary) legal documentation. The case of Cacique Marcos Xukuru is what will be decided by the 5th Regional Tribunal in Recife on 4/17/12. We are asking people to use the letter below by pasting it into the Tribunal's web page where the letter will go directly to the president of the tribunal. These letters can turn the tide in favor of the Xukuru.

Marcia Mikulak
Associate Professor
Department of Anthropology
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, ND 59202
701-777-4718 Office
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LETTER IN PORTUGUESE:

Por favor, deem uma lida nessa carta e se voces se sentirem a vontade de escrever em ajuda ao povo Xukuru, é só copiar e colar no link abaixo:

http://www.trf5.jus.br/comentarios/?orgao=presidente

Estou escrevendo para expressar minhas considerações sobre as ações históricas tomadas contro o povo Xucuru, o cacique Marcos Xucuru, e outros inúmeros líderes dos Xucuru em Pesqueira, Pernambuco, Brasil. Eu sou um simpatizante do povo Xukuru e suporto as decisões do comitê de direitos humanos da Associação Americana de Antropologia (AAA), em especial nos casos de criminalizações que envolvem o cacique Marcos Xucuru e outros líderes. Eu atesto que as decisões tomadas até agora pela justiça brasileira são injustas. Como cidadão, tenho acompanhado os casos de violações constitucionais contra o povo Xucuru e seus líderes, que resultaram na criminalização de alguns membros da comunidade Xucuru. Estou escrevendo esta carta para pedir que o 5° Tribunal Regional do Recife, no Brasil, reverta todos os processos criminais que estão atualmente sob revisão contra o cacique Marcos Xucuru e seu povo. Pedimos que a justiça e a igualdade seja aplicada a todos os casos em andamento, e que os antecedentes históricos sejam levados em conta por todas as decisões judiciais do caso contra o cacique Marcos Xucuru e outras lideranças. Na realidade, os crimes cometidos foram contra o cacique Marcos, que perdeu seu pai assassinado e outros vários defensores dos direitos humanos nos últimos 20 anos. Temos ciência de que houveram vários casos de violações contra os Xukuru, e pedimos que os juízes envolvidos neste processo tragam crédito para o sistema legal do Brasil, desconsiderando todas as acusações contra Cacique Marcos e os líderes Xukuru agora em análise. Nós queremos que a justiça brasileira cumpra com a Declaração das Nações Unidas sobre os Direitos dos Povos Indígenas (2007), a Declaração das Nações Unidas sobre os Direitos Humanos (1948), e a sua própria Carta Magna, no capítulo sobre Povos Indígenas (1988), e ponha fim à criminalização das lideranças Xukuru. Abaixo, encontra-se o link onde a Associação Americana de Antropologia manifestou-se favorável ao povo Xucuru, reconhecendo que houveram violações graves dos direitos humanos nos casos em que envolvem os Xucuru. Também recomendamos que a justiça brasileira reveja todo estes processos considerando os pontos de justiça, igualdade, e respeito aos direitos humanos. A Associação Americana de Antropologia, que tem em seu corpo de membros sobre direitos humanos, com alguns dos mais respeitados e influentes Antropólogos da atualidade, tem acompanhado de perto todos os processos envolvendo os Xucurus, e acredita na integridade do sistema judicial brasileiro.

Respeitosamente,

ps. Parecer do AAA:

http://www.aaanet.org/cmtes/cfhr/Xukuru-Letter.cfm (para ler a carta da Associação Americana de Antropologia)

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LETTER IN ENGLISH: Please copy the letter below into the following link:

http://www.trf5.jus.br/comentarios/?orgao=presidente

1. when you get to the link, the first box on the top left is where you put your name
2. the second box on the right top isk where you put your email address
3. this is the box where you paste the letter below
4. send your letter by clicking in the bottom left blue box that says "Enviar Commentario"
5. MAKE SURE YOU INCLUDE THE ENTIRE LETTER AND THE WEB PAGE AT THE END OF THE LETTER

I am writing to you to express my concerns regarding the historic actions taken against the Xukuru people, their Cacique Marcos Xukuru, and numerous Xukuru leaders in Pesquiera, Pernambuco, Brazil. I am a citizen in supporter of the Xukuru and I also support the American Anthropological Association’s Committee for Human Rights decision that the criminal charges against Cacique Marcos Xukuru are unjust. Renound anthropologists have followed the cases of institutional violence against the Xukuru people and their leaders which has led to the legal criminalization of the Indigenous Xukuru. I am writing this letter to request that the 5th Regiona Tribunal in Recife in Brazil reverse all of the criminal processes of injustice that are currently under review against Cacique Marcos Xukuru and his people. I ask that justice and fairness be applied to all cases under review and that the historical antecedents be taken into account by all those rendering judicial decisions in the case against Cacique Marcos Xukuru and other Xukuru leaders. The crimes committed have been against Cacique Marcos, who lost his father and several other human rights defenders over the last 20 years. I agree with the American Anthropological Association who contend that there have been several instances of violations against the Xukuru which are briefly outlined above, and I urge you to bring credit to Brazil’s legal system by dropping all charges against Cacique Marcos Xukuru and the Xukuru leaders now under review. I urge you to comply with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007), the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights (1948), and the Brazilian Constitution, Chapter on Indigenous Peoples (1988), and bring an end to the criminalization of the Xukuru people. Below, you will find a link to the American Anthropological Association’s web page where they posted a letter in support of the Xukuru. In this letter, they recognize the violations of the Xukuru’s human rights. In addition, they recommend that the Brazilian Judges reverse all the criminal charges against Cacique Marcos Xukuru and the other Xukuru leaders. The American Anthropological Association has a committee that specifically evaluate human rights abuses around the world, and is comprised of the most respected and influential anthropologists in the world. This association has been closely following the judicial processes as related to the Xukuru, and they are hopeful that the Brazilian justice system will rule on the side of integrity and human dignity in the case of the Xukuru.

Respectfully,

http://www.aaanet.org/cmtes/cfhr/Xukuru-Letter.cfm (Link to read the letter by the American Anthropological Association’s Committee for Human Rights)

Por Favor leiam e nos ajude a divulgar os processos de violacoes contra o povo Indigena no Brasil

Por favor, copie a carta abaixo, cole no link:

http://www.trf5.jus.br/comentarios/?orgao=presidente

Estou escrevendo para expressar minhas concideracoes sobre as acoes hitoricas tomadas contro o povo Xucuru, o cacique Marcos Xucuru, e outros inumeros lederes dos Xucuru in Paequeira, Pernambuco, Brasil. Eu sou um simpatizante do povo Xukuru e suporto as decisoes do comite de direitos humanos das Assossiacoes Americana de Antropologia, em especial nos casos de criminalizacoes em que envolvem o cacique Marcos Xucuru e outros lidres. Eu atesto que as desicoes tomadas ate agora pelo justiva brasileira sao injustas. Como um antropologo, nos temos acompanhado os casos de violacoes inconstitucionais contra o povo Xucuru e seus lideres, o que levou a criminalizacao de alguns indios Xucuru. Nos estamos escrevendo esta carta para pedir que o 5 Tribunal Regional de Recife, no Brasil, reverta todos os processos criminais que estao atualmente sob revisao contra o cacique Marcos Xucuru e seu povo. Pedimos que a justica e a igualdade seja aplicada a todos os casos em andamento, e que os antecedentes historicos sejam levados em conta por todas as decisoes judiciais de reendenizacao no caso contro o cacique Marcos Xucuru e outros lideres Xucuru. Os crimes cometidos foram contra o cacique Marcos, que perdeu seu pai assassinado e outros varios defensores dos direitos humanos nos ultimos 20 anos. Nós afirmamos que houve vários casos de violações contra os Xukuru os quais mensionamos acima, e nós pedimos que os juizes envolvidos nestes processos traga crédito para o sistema legal do Brasil, desconsiderando todas as acusações contra Cacique Marcos Xukuru e os líderes Xukuru agora em análise. Nós o incentivamos que a justica cumpra com a Declaração das Nações Unidas sobre os Direitos dos Povos Indígenas (2007), a Declaração das Nações Unidas dos Direitos Humanos (1948), e a Constituição brasileira, capítulo sobre Povos Indígenas (1988), e pôr fim à criminalização do povo Xukuru. A baixo, encontra-se o link onde a Assissiacao Americana de Antropologia manifestou-se favoravel ao povo Xucuru. Eles reconheceram que ha violacoes dos direitos humanos nos casos em que envolvem os Xucuru. Tambem recomendando que a justica brasileira reveja todo estes processos considerando os pontos de justica, igualdade, e respeitop humano. A Assossiacao Americana de Antropologia, que tem em seu corpo de membros sobre direitos humanos, os mais respetados e influentes Antropologos da atualidade, tem acompanhado de perto todos os processos involvendo os Xucuru, e acredita na integridade do sistema justicial brasileiro.

Respeitosamente,

http://www.aaanet.org/cmtes/cfhr/Xukuru-Letter.cfm