Humaitá - Amazonas, 2 March 2002

TO THE IBAMA REPRESENTATIVE,
CO-ORDINATOR OF THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE URUCU-PORTO VELHO GAS PIPELINE
HUMAITÁ, AMAZONAS

Dear Sirs,

We, the Organisation of the Indigenous Peoples of the Upper Madeira River (OPIAM), an indigenous body which is composed of the Parintintin, Tenharim, Apurinã, Torá, Diahoy and Pirahã peoples with the aim of defending their rights and interests, based in Humaitá, are writing to express our opinions about the Environmental Impact Study of the Urucu-Porto Velho gas pipeline. This Petrobras project could have serious consequences for our indigenous brothers and sisters, principally the DENI, RIMARIMÃ, PAUMARI, APIRUNÃ, BANAWÁ, CAITITU, JUMA and the KATAWIXI, which will be directly affected, and ourselves, who will be affected by the expansion of the logging industry in this region, destroying our heritage, as has occurred in Rondonia.

The questions that we raise in relation to the EIS take into consideration the current situation of our peoples, who have repeatedly been the targets of invaders: fishermen, loggers, extractivists, hunters and miners. The Juma, for example, were removed from the area by FUNAI because of the constant threats that they suffered from invaders and they have still not returned to their territory because of the lack of security. In this context, we have made the following observations, which we would like to be taken into consideration during the analysis of this EIS, which forms part of the licensing process.

General Considerations about the EIS of the Urucu-Porto Velho Gas Pipeline:

a) We, Indigenous Peoples, have always been considered to be obstacles to development in the large-scale projects (highways, hydroelectric plants, electricity transmission lines). The argument that there are few of us is used as justification for these projects going ahead. Even though the project would directly affect around 4,000 people, distributed in 57 villages, representing 10 ethnic groups, as well as indigenous groups which are uncontacted or who have had very little contact (Caititu, Catawixi and Juma), for the Federal Government, the State Governments of Rondônia and Amazonas and Petrobras, the project is worthwhile because it will bring benefits to millions of ”whites” who live far from our lands and who do not care about our suffering...

b) The “great snakes” - BR-364 Cuiabá-Porto Velho highway, the BR-421 Ariquemes-Campo Novo highway, the BR-319 Porto Velho-Humaitá/Manaus highway and the BR-230 Transamazônica highway have facilitated access to our indigenous territories. The Tenharim Indigenous Territory has been torn apart by a mine operated by the Paranapanema company and has suffered irreparable damage; the Nambikwara in Rondônia and Mato Grosso lost their traditional territory; the Cinta-Larga were massacred with bombs and poison. The Waimiri Atroari in Amazonas has their land flooded by the Balbina Dam, their land cut by a highway and suffered many problems...This developmental process is devastating...

c) The construction of the 522-kilometre Urucu-Porto Velho gas pipeline would result in the opening up of a front of agricultural expansion, as well as an increase in the extraction of natural resources through mining and logging. We understand that they are going to construct a road linking Humaitá to Lábrea. On a daily basis, dozens of families arrive in our region in search of land. The problem is particularly acute in Apuí and here in Humaitá. We try to imagine what it will be like after...It will bring more problems to our lands and our Peoples... If their is no system to protect our lands now, what will become of us... The gas pipeline will bring benefits to whom?! To the indigenous peoples, the river-dwellers, the rubber tappers and small-scale agriculturalists??!

d) Our riverine indigenous peoples suffer from similar problems as our upland peoples. The Apurinã, Paumari and Banawá are the victims of exploitative river traders, loggers, palm heart extractivists and others - this situation will be exacerbated by the arrival of more outsiders...

e) The Juma has a population of just seven people. In 1964, there were 100. They have been decimated by rubber grove owners. In 1999, there were removed from their territory by FUNAI because of the constant threats to their physical and cultural integrity made by fishermen, palm heart extractivists and loggers, as well as the threat posed by disease. A young Juma woman had been raped by fishermen and was pregnant. FUNAI failed to guarantee their safety in their traditional territory and transferred them to the Uru Eu Wau Wau, where two elderly people died. The young people married members of the Uru Eu Wau Wau tribe and have still not returned to their traditional territory. They were exiled due to lack of security. This lack of security would certainly increase as the result of the construction of the gas pipeline.

f) The increased availability of electricity in Lábrea, Canutama and Humaitá (according to the EIS) would attract more logging companies to the region, resulting in more pressure on indigenous lands, conservation areas and extractivist reserves, as occurred in Roraima and Acre.

g) We know of the existence of uncontacted peoples north of the route of the pipeline (Jacareúba, Catawixi and Caititu) and little-contacted groups to the south (Juma). According to FUNAI/95, there are other uncontacted and unidentified indigenous groups along the Mucuim River. The Karipuna of Roraima affirm that these people are related to them. This concerns us because, without the demarcation of this area, they risk being decimated by the construction of the gas pipeline, which will rely on the Mucuim River as a means of transporting construction material to the interior. The EIS did not make any mention of these possible indigenous groups along the Mucuim River - and its basin - even though there is evidence of settlements close to the Madeira.

h) FUNAI, through the Department of Isolated Indians, must be invited to carry out studies, in situ, along the route of the pipeline. Leaving this until construction work has already begun could place the physical and cultural survival of these peoples at risk.

i) The fieldwork carried out by the company which elaborate the EIS, carried out between 2 and 21 of November 2000, a period of eighteen days to evaluate an extension of 522.2 kilometres, was insufficient and failed to study the indigenous question. We believe that another study should be undertaken. If not, the project will go ahead without the minimum consideration for indigenous peoples.

j) In the EIS, the distances of indigenous territories from the gas pipeline were not specified. The indigenous lands which are most susceptible to disastrous impacts are the Jacareúba, Katawixi and Caititu (uncontacted) and the Juma (little contacted). Their lands have only been delimited and not demarcated.

k) The indigenous peoples of the region which have had long-standing contact: the Apurinã, Paumari and Banawá, as well as the Deni and Rimarimã (which were not even mentioned in the EIS) travel using the region’s rivers to visit relatives, attend meetings, seek medical treatment and sell their products. This movement of machines and men would result in changes to their lives, as they would be prohibited from crossing construction sites; they would have contact with workers, resulting in the spread of sexually-transmitted diseases and the sexual abuse of our women, as well as the iniquitous exchange of goods...

We could make many more observations. We hope that IBAMA listens to us and meets our demands. In conclusion, we ask: What benefits will the gas pipeline bring to the INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND RIVER DWELLERS?! Are there not other sources of energy which could be exploited, as well as other means of transporting the natural gas which would lessen the impact on the traditional peoples of Amazonia??

Yours sincerely,

JOSUÉ SATERÉ MAUÉ
GENERAL CO-ORDINATOR OF OPIAM

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