Government disappoints quilombola movement and does not announce titles telegram Join our Telegram channel! telegram “The history of Brazil cannot be told without the quilombos!” member of the Education Collective of the National Coordination of Black Rural Quilombola Communities (Conaq) in a powerful speech to thousands of quilombolas who attended the second edition of the greatest mobilization of these communities in Brazil Aquilombar 2024 had a central theme of few words but which convey a necessary and powerful message for today: “ancestralizing the future”.  The presence of more than 3 thousand quilombolas from all regions of the country colored the federal capital throughout Thursday (16) They traveled hundreds of kilometers to meet demand the guarantee of their rights and undermine Brazilian society the quilombolas were able to show a little more of their culture such as that of the Omnirá Black Conscientization Group from the Cururupu quilombo (MA); craft and food fair.  Although the titling of territories was reinforced as the main agenda of the mobilization a point that united the chorus of demands from the participants and which also permeated the speech of the authorities present this was precisely the biggest frustration in this edition of Aquilombar Leaders from different locations were invited by the federal government to go to Brasília to receive documentation of the definitive title to their territories as the ceremony with these authorities began The rest of the participants in the mobilization became aware of the government's decision at the end of the ceremony when the Minister of Agrarian Development and Family Agriculture stated that the titles would be delivered at another time without indicating a date or place for that Questioned by ISA Regarding the non-signing of the titling decrees the minister only said that there will be an event "near" for the delivery to take place.  The titling processes for quilombola territories in Brazil are extremely time-consuming. So much so that, according to calculation from the organization Terra de Direito it would take 2.708 years for the government to finalize the definitive title of the 1.857 quilombos with processes open at the National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform (Incra) Brazil would comply with this constitutional obligation only in the year 4.732 as it is the consolidation of the constitutional right to effectively guarantee the territory It was expected that the ceremony proposed by the federal government in the Aquilombar act would take concrete steps towards these titles because the movement was waiting for this with enormous expectations” asserts the coordinator of the Socio-Environmental Policy and Law Program at the ISA She also reinforces how this disappointment reverberates as unrest in the quilombola movement In addition to being the gateway for communities to access numerous public policies definitive regularization also provides protection for populations vulnerable and without access to basic rights because the significant manifestations of violence in quilombola territories occur precisely because of the government's inertia in finalizing the titling processes” It is no coincidence that violence against quilombos in Brazil has increased in the last five years, as research shows Racism and Violence against Quilombos in Brazil 70 quilombolas were murdered on their land not to mention the countless cases of rights violations resulting from institutional and environmental racism.  There was great public expectation that President Lula would attend the event The absence was justified by Teixeira due to the calamity situation in Rio Grande do Sul and will personally participate in the event.   He recalled that the government launched the Terra da Gente program which will be used for settlements and the titling of quilombos “R$138 million is being invested to buy land for quilombos and to demarcate quilombos,” he informed.  The president of the Fundação Cultural Palmares (FCP) was at Aquilombar and spoke about this expensive and important right. “We need to stop [making] people die to have a title My role is to resume this policy,” she said “We have a commitment from the new government of Brazil from minister Margareth Menezes [of Culture] from minister Anielle Franco [of Racial Equality] to bring the certification of quilombola communities so that Incra can finally give the title of these communities” happens to be here hoping for a good result is also here at the moment and Abdias Nascimento the first man from that country to speak about quilombismo [is also present]”.  emphasized: “This is the biggest event for the quilombola population in the country We are very clear that this country owes a huge debt to the quilombola people.”   Aldrig reported that there are already 35 thousand hectares of ordinances published for the quilombola peoples an action that is part of the package of measures announced in Aquilombar foreseen in the Program of Support and Strengthening of Ethnodevelopment and Access to Land and Territory (Pafe) of the Secretariat of Quilombola and Traditional Territories and Productive Systems (Seteq) Conaq delivered a letter containing the main demands of the communities to the ministers present at the event The document addresses seven points: violations of quilombola rights; violations of territory; climate justice; public policy; access to justice; violations of the rights of quilombola women and requirements.  Traditional Peoples and Communities of African Origin Terreiros Peoples and Gypsies of the Ministry of Racial Equality (MIR) “We are very happy with how today was.” He continued: “This is the second time that Conaq has carried out the Aquilombar here in Brasília so there is great expectation that there will be a next one that is equally beautiful inspiration so that we can do even more than we have done so far and we can respond to the demands that the quilombola leaders reaffirmed the quilombola struggle for the right to titled territory started by their ancestors and the duty of youth to continue it.  they will continue to take the lives of our youth Our lives will continue to be taken by those who do not want us to access what is rightfully ours the youth who are present here today have this duty to ensure that the struggle of our ancestors continues because our existence today is because someone resisted for us” “This State owes a debt to the black population We didn't come here to see ministers smile when they talk about the quilombola title issue We are here to claim all our public policies but the main one is the titling of our territories” The coordinator of Conaq's LGBTQIAP+ collective highlighted the leadership of quilombola women and the racism promoted by large enterprises that invade the territories “We need to advance in several processes in our territories in our culture; move forward in guaranteeing the right to life of our LGBTQIAP+ population; guarantee the lives of our quilombola women within our territories We have quilombola territories that are led by these women who are at the forefront of the struggle who are at the forefront of the resistance who occupy these spaces of rights that often try to silence us,” she stated “For the advancement and progress of territories we need our quilombola communities to have titles now so that our territories are free from agribusiness free from wind farms that constantly enter our territories with environmental racism The consequences of the climate crisis for quilombola communities have been a present concern in the debates and actions of the movement's leaders the tragedy taking place in Rio Grande do Sul is a sad example of how this issue needs to be at the center of discussions and shows the urgency for more effective ways of coping to be identified.  In the state, approximately 6 thousand quilombola families were affected by the floods all 145 quilombola communities in Rio Grande do Sul have been affected by the tragedy since the end of April 17.552 quilombolas are directly impacted by the floods ten communities are completely surrounded by water and have access difficulties the floods affect all 6.828 quilombola families in Rio Grande do Sul and ten communities are islanded analyzed how the climate emergency directly affects the lives of traditional peoples and communities "What is happening in Rio Grande do Sul serves as a warning so that we can reflect on the importance of looking at climate change and how it can cause an even greater disaster" One of the serious problems highlighted by the Conaq leader is the situation of families who need to leave their homes and territories due to the consequences of the climate crisis.  "We need to discuss the situation of climate exiles We have a large number of people who are outside their territories due to the impacts of this crisis And look at what the people of the countryside and forests our ancestry and popular wisdom tell us about everything we are experiencing" She also recalled that these people and communities are the first to be affected by the consequences of the climate crisis The most relevant news for you to form your opinion on the socio-environmental agenda LAST ISSUE