Brasília, 4/20/2004(Agência Brasil) - As part of Indian Day celebrations yesterday, president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed decrees definitively establishing eight Indian reservations. Seven of the reservations are located in the state of Amazonas and one is in Espírito Santo. The new reservations cover an area of 1.294 million hectares, which are inhabited by Tikuna, Cambeba, Tenharim, Apurinã and Juma Indian groups.

On the same occasion, Lula signed into law Brazil's ratification of Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization which protects the culture and social organization of Indians.

Lula did not sign a decree definitively establishing (homologação) the Raposa Serra do Sol reservation in the state of Roraima, which covers 1.6 million hectares, although that area was demarcated five years ago.

The Raposa Serra do Sol reservation is controversial. At the moment, a group of Indians is camped in the Esplanada dos Ministerios in front of the Ministry of Justice, protesting the delay in the definitive establishment of the reservation. Some members of the Armed Forces and the Brazilian diplomatic corps are opposed to the reservation for national security reasons because it lies on the border of Brazil with Guyana and Venezuela. Local inhabitants are up in arms because the reservation will include a township with a population of 665. Farmers and Indians dispute ownership of the land in the region.

A total of 14,719 Indians live in the area in 148 different villages. One of the most controversial aspects of the problem is whether or not the reservation's 1.6 million hectares should be one continuous area, or if it can be divided up into smaller areas. The Inidans want one continuous area. Farmers and local non-Indian residents want it divided up.

Presidential spokesman, Andre Singer, with regard to the definitive establishment of the Raposa Serra do Sol reservation, explained that last week Lula ordered all the government agencies involved in the matter and representatives from congress to sit down and come up with a solution to the problem in 15 days. That period expires on April 27 when Lula is to receive a report with recommendations.

Translator: Allen Bennett