Indigenous Land
In the autumn of 2021 Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is accused of genocide at the International Courtin The Hague for ”an explicit, systematic and intentional anti-native-people policy”.
During the leadership of Jair Boldonaro, the destruction of the Amazon rainforest increased, environmental protection programs were abolished and indigenous people experienced increased pressure from cattle ranchers and mining companies to invade their land, according to national and International NGO’s.
The desire to capitalise the nature and create economic development is not unique to the politics of Bolsonaro and have been the common characteristics of capitalist economy since industrialisation all over the world. However, the environmental damages of the Amazon rainforest, the rights and identity of the indigenous people living in Brazil were under increased pressure during Bolsonaro’s administration: “If I become president there will not be a centimetre more of indigenous land,” Bolsonaro stated in his presidential campaign before getting elected.
The question at stake, how the increased push for economic development in the largest state of brazil, the Amazonas, effects the indigenous people, their territories, their identity and their human rights?
Made in collaboration with Jesper Houborg
