Indigenous protesters in Brasilia attempted to disrupt a public hearing on the proposed construction of a 1,000-km (620-mile) railway that would traverse their lands to transport grains to a northern port in the Amazon, according to Reuters.
The railway, known as Ferrograo, has received backing from farmers and grain companies who argue that it would reduce dependence on roads and lower transportation costs for soy from Mato Grosso to river ports in the Amazon basin.
However, Indigenous communities such as the Munduruku and Kayapo claim that they have not been consulted about the project, which they believe will impact their environment and lead to deforestation.
Approximately 100 protesters with banners blocked the entrance to the hearing in Novo Progresso, in the state of Para, but the meeting eventually commenced after the protesters left the building, as evidenced by videos on social media.
Senator Zequinha Marinho, one of the railway’s main supporters, told the protesters that the project is a development initiative that will benefit everyone.
Alessandra Munduruku, a recipient of the 2023 Goldman Environmental Prize for her work in preventing mining development in the Amazon and preserving the rainforest, led the protest.
She expressed her opposition to a project that she believes will harm their territory and jeopardize the future of their children and grandchildren.
She also criticized Congress for prioritizing profits from their lands over addressing concerns about climate change and forest preservation, conveying these sentiments in a telephone conversation with Reuters.
According to Ana Carolina Alfinito, a legal advisor to Amazon Watch, a conservation advocacy group that was present at the meeting, the goal of the hearing was not to consult Indigenous people, but rather to reconcile the interests of soy-producing agribusinesses that stand to benefit from the railway and local interests seeking compensation for reduced road traffic.
The hearing took place after Brazilian lawmakers overturned a presidential veto on a bill that restricted Indigenous land rights, shifting the decision on a deadline for land claims to the Supreme Court.
Additionally, the top court previously upheld the suspension of a government plan to reduce the size of a forest conservation park, which was intended to accommodate the construction of the railway, pending further studies.
(Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
