City Hall will relocate 104 students to schools outside indigenous lands

Through an agreement with the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPF), the city hall of Garrafão do Norte, in Pará, committed to demobilizing four schools built irregularly within the Alto Rio Guamá Indigenous Territory (TI), located in the southwest of the state. The decision also provides for the guarantee of school transportation for students to other municipal schools. The information was released this Wednesday (12) by the MPF. According to the city hall, 104 students are enrolled in the schools. The text of the agreement points out that none of these students who will be relocated are indigenous. By the Term of Conduct Adjustment Commitment (TAC) signed, the current municipal management committed to start the process in January of this year. The city hall said it has sought partnerships with the state and federal governments to introduce housing programs and options for families residing in these areas. Right to education The text also says that eventual adjustments in the demobilization planning can be carried out by the municipality provided that “they do not limit the right to education, nor make the situation of students more burdensome than that established in the mentioned planning”. Changes must be communicated to the MPF and the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (Funai). In the event of non-compliance with the obligation, the city hall is subject to a daily fine of R$ 500. The amount will be allocated to social projects later formulated by Funai, with or without the aid of other entities, to benefit the indigenous communities residing in the TI Alto Rio Guama. The agreement takes place in the midst of the removal process [medida jurídica que garante os direitos dos povos indígenas] of the indigenous land determined by the Federal Court, after action by the MPF. The Public Ministry informed that the purpose of the TAC is “to ensure the territorial protection of indigenous peoples, bearing in mind that the exclusive usufruct and permanent possession of these territories is a constitutional right of indigenous peoples.” The removal process, which is underway, aims to remove illegal occupants from the area used by indigenous communities.

Agência Brasil