The Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP) determined a 50% increase in the number of personnel of the National Public Security Force (FNSP) in the Indigenous Land (TI) Tekoha Guasu Guavirá, located between the municipalities of Guaíra and Terra Roxa, in the west of Paraná. The region is close to the border between Brazil and Paraguay.
On Friday night (3), four indigenous people from the Yvy Okaju community (formerly Y’Hovy), of the Avá-Guarani people, were injured by gunshots. The victims of firearms include a child shot in the leg; a young man shot in the back; another indigenous person was injured in the leg and a fourth had his jaw pierced by a projectile.
The Ministry of Justice states that the actions adopted have already reestablished order in the region. “Preventive measures are underway to avoid escalating tensions.”
The FNSP was reportedly informed of the new attack on the indigenous community around 9pm on Friday, which led to the reinforcement of personnel announced by the MJSP on Saturday.
Last November, Ordinance No. 812, from the Ministry of Justicehad already authorized, for 90 days, the use of the National Public Security Force in support of the National Foundation of Indigenous Peoples (Funai) on indigenous land.
Performances
Faced with the risk of new attacks, readiness and alert teams were called in to intensify patrolling in the area in order to reinforce security and assist in the relocation of residents to more protected areas within the village. “The situation remains under continuous surveillance by the security forces, with reinforcements scheduled to guarantee the protection of the community and mitigate new risks”, stated, in a statement, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security.
The Superintendency of the Federal Police of Paraná is conducting investigations in Guaíra to identify the perpetrators of the shooting.
Also under the coordination of the Federal Police, the National Public Security Force is contributing to overt policing, together with the Military Police of the state of Paraná. Security actions aim to prevent new incidents. “All actions are being carried out with the highest priority to avoid the repetition of episodes of violence”, states the ministry.
The Municipal Guard and Funai are monitoring the situation of the injured indigenous people, who were taken to the Emergency Care Unit (UPA) of Guaíra and to Hospital Bom Jesus de Toledo (PR), 100 kilometers from the scene of the gunshots. .
Reviews
Although the actions of the National Public Security Force aim to preserve the safety of people, the integrity of property and guarantee local public order, the performance of the force in the conflict has been criticized by entities representing indigenous peoples.
In a joint note, released this Saturday (4), the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (Apib), the Guarani Yvyrupa Commission (CGY), the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Southern Brazil (Arpin Sul), the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Southeast (Arpin Sudeste) and the Indigenous Missionary Council (Cimi) assess that the National Force acts as if nothing were happening in the region. “When it is permanently activated by the community or even by federal government agencies, it relativizes the complaints and always arrives late, after the indigenous people have already been attacked.”
The report from Brazil Agency awaits the position of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security on criticism of the performance of the National Force in recent episodes of violence in indigenous land.
Recent history
The Indigenous Missionary Council (Cimi), linked to the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB), has denounced the intensification of conflicts in the region, at a time when the community awaits the completion of the demarcation of the Tekoha Guasu Guavirá Indigenous Land.
According to the entity, since December 29, the Avá-Guarani people have been the target of gunshots, bombs thrown at the village, in addition to setting fire to vegetation, plantations and homes on indigenous land.
For a week now, images of successive attacks suffered by indigenous people in the western region of Paraná have been circulating on social media.
