Five men and two teenagers who had been arrested and apprehended on Saturday (16) after invading the Xipaya indigenous territory, in Pará, were released on the same day. The situation worries indigenous people in the region, who fear reprisals. Local leaders, with the support of federal deputy Joenia Wapichana (Rede-RR), ask for security in the region to be reinforced.
The request was made in a letter sent to the Federal Police and the Minister of Justice and Public Security this Sunday (18).
Wapichana is coordinator of the Mixed Parliamentary Front in Defense of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of the Chamber of Deputies and signs the letter together with fellow deputies Vivi Reis (PSOL-PA) and Airton Faleiro (PT-PA).
According to the official letter, the Federal Police delegate responsible for the arrests told indigenous leaders that there was no logistics to take all seven to testify in Altamira or Itaituba, municipalities in the region, within the 24 hours provided by law.
For this reason, they were reportedly released in the same place where they were detained, within Xipaya territory. The ferry they were on was seized by the authorities.
In a note sent to Sheet the Federal Police confirmed that the group was released. According to the PF, the 24-hour period that would allow the arrest in flagrante delicto had already expired and “as the initial crisis was already contained”, the invaders were escorted out of the indigenous territory.
The PF says it has launched an investigation to investigate illegal mining in Xipaya territory and claims that the suspects were summoned to appear at the Federal Police station in Altamira to give evidence.
Also according to the official letter of the indigenous leaders, the invaders were, until the night of this Sunday (17), sailing within the indigenous territory along the Iriri River.
The parliamentary front for the defense of indigenous peoples asks the authorities to escort the men out of the protected areas.
“In view of the above, we require appropriate measures to protect the protection of the indigenous land and the physical integrity of the Xipaya people. In addition, we emphasize the importance of continuing the operation of environmental agencies in that region and that there is no impunity related to the present case”, they write. .
Juma Xipaia, chief of Karimaa village, denounced on social media last Wednesday (13) the arrival of the two-story mining raft, considered to be of large proportions.
According to Juma’s account, published on his social networks, the invaders used violence against his father, who recorded the movement with a cell phone. On Thursday (14), the ferry had already moved away, but did not leave the territory.
