A group of farmers has maintained a blockade on the road to the Paquiçamba Indigenous territory in Brazil's Pará state since September 23, preventing government employees from completing its demarcation on the ground. The territory lies in the Volta Grande do Xingu and is traditionally inhabited by the Indigenous Juruna people, also known as Yudjá. Local politicians support the blockade, according to Mongabay.
The protesters are seeking to prevent the Indigenous affairs agency Funai from entering the territory and marking its boundaries. This is a mandatory stage before the country's president formally approves the territory and it is registered. The blockade is therefore delaying a specific step in the process of recognizing Indigenous land.
Paquiçamba is directly affected by the Belo Monte hydroelectric project. Demarcation of Indigenous land in the area by federal authorities was one of the conditions set for the project's environmental licensing. The obstruction of the work therefore also affects the fulfillment of an obligation linked to the hydroelectric project.
A Funai spokesperson told Mongabay that the blockade has delayed georeferencing work, the placement of boundary markers and the installation of signs. The agency is seeking legal measures to ensure that work continues, that the territory's boundaries remain accessible and that crews are safe. According to the same spokesperson, clashes occurred between people taking part in the blockade and federal agents, interrupting the work despite support from the National Public Security Force.
Ya Juruna, a member of the Indigenous community of Paquiçamba, told Mongabay that the protesters are trying to prevent her community from securing its rights to its land. She said this is a goal they have fought for over many years. She also argued that the land claimed by the protesters already has owners.
Brazil's general elections took place on October 4. According to Juruna, those taking part in the blockade used the election campaign period to advance their aims and turn non-Indigenous residents against her community. She expressed concern, saying the community had not previously had problems with these people and does not want a confrontation.
The mayor of Vitória do Xingu, Márcio Viana Rocha, posted a video from the site on Instagram, expressing his support for the protesting farmers. He portrayed Funai's action as an affront to farmers and argued that it must be stopped. Mongabay requested a comment from his office but had received no response by the time of publication.
Paquiçamba is about 30 kilometers from the Ituna/Itatá Indigenous territory, which is also under severe pressure. According to the report, more than 500 people recently invaded it, opening illegal roads, setting fires and threatening federal agents. This is a separate incident in a nearby territory, adding to the reported pressures on Indigenous land.
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