Communities of slave descendants in Brazil demand recognition of territories and livelihood
Residents of Brazilian quilombos, communities descended from runaway slaves, have traditionally harvested acai berries using a minimally invasive method that preserves the Amazon forest. This method involves creating a ring from a leaf to climb acai…
Residents of Brazilian quilombos, communities descended from runaway slaves, have traditionally harvested acai berries using a minimally invasive method that preserves the Amazon forest. This method involves creating a ring from a leaf to climb acai trees without damaging them.
The ongoing climate conference in Belem, Brazil, has seen quilombo and Indigenous representatives advocating for government-issued land titles to safeguard their rights and protect the ecosystems they inhabit. These communities view land titles as crucial for defending against illegal logging and encroachment by agribusiness.
Erica Monteiro, a coordinator at Malungu, an association of quilombos in Para, has been instrumental in helping communities secure land titles. The process is often lengthy and costly, but it provides legal assurance against unauthorized land claims.
Approximately 2,500 quilombos exist in the Brazilian Amazon, yet only 258 have been officially documented by government institutes. Without recognized land titles, communities are vulnerable to forged documentation by agribusiness interests.
This method involves creating a ring from a leaf to climb acai trees without damaging them.
Since receiving their land title over 20 years ago, the community of Itacoa Miri has benefited from philanthropic funding, which has improved local infrastructure, including a health center, school, electricity, and running water.
In the nearby Menino Jesus quilombo, residents face challenges from a proposed landfill by the company Revita. Concerns have been raised about potential contamination of local aquifers, vital for the community's fishing and daily needs. Legal action has been initiated, but no ruling has been made yet.
Menino Jesus community members are seeking recognition for the entire 2,160 hectares of their claimed land. Thus far, only 640 hectares have been officially recognized. Full recognition would provide legal protection and help preserve the forest.
Monteiro emphasizes the need for the government to recognize all quilombos in Brazil. She advocates for compensation to communities for their role in forest conservation, pointing to recent announcements of a fund to support such efforts.
Based on reporting by Africanews.