“Long live Indigenous resistance,” tweeted Eloy Terena, Indigenous lawyer and senior official at Brazil’s minister for Indigenous peoples. In a momentous decision, Brazil's supreme court has delivered a resounding victory for Indigenous communities, blocking efforts to strip back their land rights. This landmark ruling is a turning point in the battle to protect Indigenous rights in South America.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pJRgKVep5Q
The issue at the heart of this legal battle was the so-called "marco temporal" or "time limit trick," a move supported by agribusiness interests that aimed to curtail Indigenous land claims. Specifically, it sought to prevent Indigenous communities from claiming land they did not physically occupy in 1988. However, the court's verdict has emphatically rejected this manoeuvre, safeguarding the rights of Indigenous communities to their ancestral territories.
Nine out of the court's 11 members voted against the "marco temporal" thesis, which had sought to impose restrictions on Indigenous land claims. Good to know, that the two supreme court justices who voted in favour of the "marco temporal" thesis, Kassio Nunes Marques and André Mendonça, were appointed by the former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro.
The ruling resonated with rights groups, who had raised concerns that this tactic could jeopardise scores of legitimate land claims from groups that had either been forcibly evicted from their ancestral lands or whose presence had not been officially recognized by the stipulated cutoff date.
Sônia Guajajara, Brazil's Minister for Indigenous Peoples, described this moment as "a great achievement" and a testament to years of tireless struggle and protest by Indigenous communities.
The scenes outside the Supreme Court's headquarters in Brasília on the day of the ruling were deeply emotional. Joyful tears flowed, and dances of celebration broke out among activists and supporters, showing the profound significance of this decision for Indigenous communities across Brazil. 💚
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This decision can set a positive example for other countries with Indigenous populations, encouraging similar legal protections and recognition of their rights.
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A great and remarkable milestone for Brazil
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A historical moment for Brazil!
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This goes along way to show the power that people/citizens hold.
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@tabitha_kimani yes! Power to the people ✊
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The resounding victory for Indigenous rights in Brazil, as upheld by the country's supreme court, represents a significant milestone in the fight to preserve our planet's ecological balance and mitigate climate change. This decision is a testament to the unwavering resilience and determination of Indigenous communities, who have long served as the guardians of our natural world.
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This is indeed a historic and remarkable victory for indigenous rights in Brazil! And a testament to the resilience and strength of indigenous communities and their ongoing struggle for recognition and protection of their land and culture.