Activist Txai Suruí, an indigenous leader recognized for her combative stance in international forums, demanded more participation and decision-making power for indigenous peoples in the official spaces of the 30th United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP30). This Saturday (15) she participated in the World Climate March, a demonstration that ran through the streets of Belém with demands from social movements.
Txai said that the recent indigenous demonstrations in the Blue Zone of COP30, such as the protests on Tuesday and Friday, are a clear message that traditional peoples do not feel represented in the way they should.
“Imagine having an event at your house and you not being able to enter there, while they decide about your life, while your territory continues to be threatened, your people continue to suffer violations, your people continue to die,” said Txai.
“Indigenous peoples will never allow an event like this to happen without their voices being heard, without shouting, without complaints being made and without pressure being exerted. We need to have decision-making spaces”, he added.
The activist of the Paiter Suruí people, whose territories are in the states of Rondônia and Mato Grosso, celebrated the participation of social movements and traditional peoples on the streets during this Saturday’s march.
“A very important moment in which social movements, indigenous peoples, quilombolas, extractivists, forest populations, Amazon populations come together to tell the world what we want,” said Txai.
“We tell the world that we no longer accept oil exploration in Foz do Amazonas and that the demarcation of territories is a right of indigenous peoples, that demarcation is one of the main solutions that Brazil and the world can take in the fight against climate emergencies. If the COP cannot give us answers to the crisis, we are here saying that we are the answer”, he added.
