AMERICA/BRASIL - Mato Grosso Missionary Community offers CIMI solidarity and support

Mato Grosso (Agencia Fides) – The Regional Mission Commission (COMIRE) in Mato Grosso do Sul (Brazil), held its annual assembly 27 to 29 November in Dourados, and issued a final statement of support and solidarity with the Indigenous Mission Council (CIMI ) and all its members engaged in pastoral service of poor and marginalised persons.
The statement denounces acts of intimidation against members of CIMI by the Parliamentary Investigation Commission (CPI), presently in Mato Grosso do Sul, examining the situation of land, property and legitimate owners. The Commission has no intention of intruding in CIMI in this moment, although missionaries have provided pastoral for indigenous peoples for a long time. A report was sent to Fides by the PMS head office in Brazil.
According to CIMI, in that State, a group of farm owners (fazendeiros) and their hired killers opened fire on members of the different peoples Guarani Kaiowá in Tekoha Ñanderú Marangatu, Guyra Kamby'i, Pyelito Kue and Potreiro Guasu. Guarani Kaiowá leader, Semião Vilhalva, was killed and three peasants were also shot dead, many others wounded by rubber bullets, and tens of them were beaten. This all happened last August.
In the past 12 years at least 585 local indigenous people committed suicide and 390 more were killed in Mato Grosso do Sul in clashes over land. In the meanwhile the work of boundary marking has been halted and about circa 45,000 Guarani Kaiowá are still restricted to remain in only 30,000 hectares of all the land which traditionally belongs to them.(CE) (Agenzia Fides, 03/12/2015)

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