The Federal Public Defender’s Office (DPU) has expressed its support for the adoption of immediate actions to combat forest fires on indigenous lands in Mato Grosso.
In an official letter sent on Wednesday (11) to the National Committee for Integrated Fire Management, a body that belongs to the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, the Regional Human Rights Defender’s Office in the state requested the creation of a specific and emergency plan to protect traditional territories.
In the document, the DPU cites the case of the Capoto Jarinã Indigenous Land, which currently has 460 fires and only 20 firefighters to contain the flames.
The DPU initiative was taken after the minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) Flávio Dino determine measures to combat fires in the Amazon and the Pantanal.
According to the decision taken on Tuesday (10), the federal government must call on more military firefighters to join the National Force that is fighting fires in the regions. The new members must come from states that were not affected by the fires. The Federal Highway Police (PRF) must also increase the number of inspection personnel on the region’s highways.
