Brazil's indigenous groups decry Bolsonaro's escalating attacks

[Judi Lynn]

Report finds Brazil's indigenous communities are facing growing attacks, threats and land grabs under the new president.

by Mia Alberti
13 Feb 2019

Sao Paulo, Brazil - Brazilian indigenous groups say far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has ramped up land grabs, intimidation and killings during his short time in office.

On Wednesday, several indigenous organisations gave the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, hosted in Bolivia a grim joint report.

The report, obtained by Al Jazeera, details a sharp uptick in attacks on indigenous people since Bolsonaro won the presidency in the October 2018 elections.

In less than three months, the report says, at least 16 attacks on indigenous communities in Brazil were documented. In addition to four homicides, the report recounts stonings, deforesting, threats and arson.

More:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/02/brazil-indigenous-groups-decry-bolsonaro-escalating-attacks-190213205305375.html

[dalton99a]

1. 'Now it's OK to kill'

Luiz Eloy Terena, a lawyer from APIB, said Bolsonaro's ideas were like "saying it is now ok to kill [the indigenous]".

The situation had worsened even before Bolsonaro took office. Between 2017 and 2018, deforestation increased by 124 percent and incursions by 62 percent, according to the CIMI group.

Meanwhile, indigenous communities endured a record-high 110 killings and 128 suicides.