Cowboys and Indians, 1994

Brazilian Indians threaten suicide over loss of their land

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.


Over 200 Guarani-Kaiowa Indians are prepared to die rather than abandon their home. They are being driven from their land by a lawsuit filed by a rancher who claims ownership of more than half of the Kaiowa’s 2,350-hectare reserve in the southwest state of Mato Grosso do Sul.

Although Brazil’s justice minister declared the disputed lands a permanent possession of the Kaiowa in 1992, land ownership policy allows court challenges to such decisions prior to final presidential decree. In November 1993, a federal judge ruled in the rancher’s favor and ordered the Indians to vacate by last February. The Kaiowa are appealing, however, and await a final decision.

Mass suicides by Indians have occurred before: Brazilian government statistics show that 117 Guarani tribespeople (88 of whom were Kaiowa) committed suicide betwen 1986 and 1993, though Indians place the toll at 300. “The suicides are a result of these people being evicted from their lands,” says Jose Borges of Rainforest Action Network.

More and more, indigenous groups in Brazil are being displaced by commercial interests such as mining and ranching. In the past 10 years, Indian-occupied territory in Mato Grosso do Sul may have shrunk by half.

PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. The deadline’s almost here. Please help us reach our $150k membership goal by May 31.

payment methods

PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. The deadline’s almost here. Please help us reach our $150k membership goal by May 31.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate