Brasília, April 27, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - The Indian Missionary Council (Cimi) released a note today calling for caution in the preparation and approval of the Indigenous Peoples Statute. For the Council, the statute is the best way to regulate mineral exploitation on Indian lands. But it points out that, in order for the statute to be effective, it will be necessary to review the laws and amendments that presently exist or come to be submitted in the National Congress.

The debate over mineral exploitation on Indian lands gained notoriety this month, soon after the confrontation between Indians and prospectors on the Roosevelt Indian reserve in the state of Rondônia. In the last 20 days the Federal Police has discovered 29 bodies in the area belonging to the Cinta-Larga tribe. It is presumed that the victims were killed by Indians during Holy Week in a dispute over diamond exploitation. A task force was created by the federal government to investigate the case. In Congress, lawmakers are already analyzing projects dealing with mining in native territories.

In the note released today, the Cimi argues that only Indians should be permitted to extract diamonds in the region.

Translator: David Silberstein