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An attack by rural residents led to the death of an indigenous woman from the Pataxó Hã-hã-hãe ethnic group in the southern Bahia region on Sunday (21). The crime occurred in the municipality of Potiraguá, in the Caramuru-Catarina Paraguassu indigenous territory.
Two farmers were arrested for illegally carrying a weapon and suspected of shooting the indigenous woman Maria Fátima Muniz de Andrade, known as Nega Pataxó, Majé (shaman) of the community.
Chief Nailton Muniz Pataxó was also shot in the attack, hit in the kidney by a bullet and undergone surgery. An Indigenous woman had a broken arm and other people were taken to hospital, but their injuries were not at risk.
The Ministry of Indigenous Peoples (MPI) said it would send a commission led by Minister Sonia Guajajara to the site on Monday (22).
According to a statement from the MPI, around 200 rural residents in the region organized themselves using a messaging application. These farmers and traders organized to regain, without a court decision, the ownership of the Fazenda Inhuma, which was retaken by the indigenous population last Saturday (20).
According to the Public Security Secretariat (SSP-BA), the attack was sponsored by a group called the Zero Invasion Movement. The secretariat also ordered open patrols to be increased indefinitely in the region, which is near the cities of Itapetinga and Pau Brasil.
The Association of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (Apib) released a statement condemning the attack and highlighting the importance of delimiting indigenous territories as a means of resolving the growing land conflict in the country.
“The resumption of the Seu Américo farm in the Caramuru territory began in the early hours of last Saturday (20). The region faces abuses from invading farmers who claim to be owners of traditional lands and accuse people of being “fakes.” “Indians’ acceptance of the time frame underlines the intransigence of the invaders who feel entitled to carry out all kinds of violence against people,” the indigenous association claims.
In addition to the farmers detained, an indigenous man was also arrested carrying a homemade weapon.
Escalation of violence
In December, 31-year-old chief Lucas Santos Oliveira was murdered by the Pataxó Hã-hã-hãe people as he returned to the village of Caramuru Catarina Paraguassu from the far southern city of Pau Brasil (BA). In June, another Pataxó indigenous man, whose identity was not disclosed, was also the target of an attack in the Barra Velha indigenous territory in Porto Seguro (BA).
Since the early 2000s, the Pataxó have carried out several actions to restore these areas. Since 2009, rural residents have filed several lawsuits against the demarcation of the territory in the Supreme Court (STJ) and the Federal Supreme Court (STF). The processes are based on the time frame thesis.
Editing: Vivian Virissimo
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