Two Pataxó indigenous people are murdered in southern Bahia

The government of Bahia confirmed that two Pataxó indigenous people were killed yesterday (17) in the extreme south of the state. According to preliminary information from the Civil Police, Samuel Cristiano do Amor Divino, 25 years old, and Nawir Brito de Jesus, 17 years old, were shot at yesterday afternoon in Itabela. The Barra Velha indigenous land is located in the region, a place of intense conflicts with landowners. After the crime, the Minister of Indigenous Peoples, Sônia Guajajara, said that she asked the Ministry of Justice and Public Security to send the National Force to the scene. “Yesterday, we lost two Pataxó youths due to land conflicts and struggles for demarcation. My first agenda for the day will be with indigenous leaders from the extreme south of Bahia. I will closely monitor what is happening in the region and will request immediate action from the State,” she wrote. Yesterday we lost two Pataxó youths due to the conflict over land and the struggle for demarcation. My first agenda for the day will be with indigenous leaders from the extreme south of Bahia. I will closely monitor what is happening in the region and will request immediate action from the State. — Sonia Guajajara (@GuajajaraSonia) January 18, 2023 The governor of Bahia, Jerônimo Rodrigues, prioritized investigations into the case. The Secretariat of Public Security also reported that the Military Police and the Federal Highway Police (PRF) are conducting sweeps at the site in search of suspects in the crime. The president of the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (Funai), Joenia Wapichana, published on her social networks that she expresses her solidarity with the Pataxó people for the loss of the two young people. “The situation of violence in the extreme south of Bahia needs to be stopped urgently.” Joenia said that she asked Funai yesterday (16) for “the proper follow-up of the case, with the support and protection of the security agencies.” “Likewise, I requested measures for the guarantee and protection of the indigenous peoples of this region of Bahia and measures to guarantee the justice that the case requires.” Yesterday I asked Funai to monitor the case properly, with the support and protection of the security agencies. Likewise, I requested measures for the guarantee and protection of the indigenous peoples of this region of Bahia and measures to guarantee the justice that the case requires. — Joenia Wapichana (@JoeniaWapichana) January 18, 2023

Agência Brasil