April 22: Earth Day + Global Climate Strike
“We suffer from the contamination of two pesticides released in a monoculture forest that degrades the land, dries up waterways, and prevents life. There are no animals or plants native to the Paranaense Forest.”
On the afternoon of Wednesday, April 20, the CLACSO Working Group Epistemologies of the South She participated in a conversation lasting over two hours with Clariza Néztor, a young chemical engineering student, visual artist, and environmental activist. Clariza lives in Posadas, Misiones, and is involved with the organization Extinction Rebellion.
Since February 2022, with a few companions, he accompanies and supports the struggle and resistance of some 20 Mbyá Guaraní communities against the advance of the Arauco company on their traditional territories to plant pines and eucalyptus trees.
One of these communities is Puente Quemado 2, located in Garuhapé Mi (Colonia San Miguel), within the Garuhapé Municipality, with access to National Route 12, which is exactly halfway between the cities of Posadas and Puerto Iguazú: 150 kilometers to one or the other (https://variaciones.com.ar/bajo-el-fuego-de-la-invasion/).
The community has existed for more than four decades. The first inhabitant to arrive was named Paulino Santa Cruz. He had found a place on a hill, where there was a large stream.
According to Emipa's statement, “The Puente Quemado Community was established under Law 26160, which determined that it comprises 659 hectares. The company planted pine trees on 333 of these hectares. Arauco wants them to occupy only five of the 333 areas, representing 1,5%.”
The company is trying by all means to dispossess the 13 Mbyá families who insist on remaining in their ancestral territory, now transformed into a graveyard of burnt pine trees. The fires in the Arauco pine forests, which occurred between the 16th and 17th of this month, ended up burning a total of 330 hectares, including the village houses and an entire area dedicated to the cultivation of Mbyá natural medicine.https: //variaciones.com.ar/bajo-el-fuego-de-la-invasion/The flames engulf everything in their path.
The state is absent. There are precarious conditions in healthcare, education, and infrastructure (electricity and access to water), and the rights guaranteed in the 1994 Federal Constitution and other laws are not being upheld. Furthermore, there is environmental contamination from the use of agronomic products that poison communities, and deforestation that leaves local populations without food.
The constitutional reform of 1994, in article 75, paragraph 17, recognizes their pre-existence and their indigenous human rights, including the occupation of their ancestral territories.
With the expansion of eucalyptus and pine plantations, the Mbyá Guaraní are unable to produce their own food and keep their culture alive.
They have no access to water. They used to get water from the pipeline along the road, but not anymore. Arauco left only two company tanks. Clariza says the Mbyá community is asking for help to survive. "We want to plant food, create forest, and weave life back together."
With the support of the Indigenous Pastoral Missions Team (EMiPA), the mburivicha ordered the Arauco company to "cease all activity" in the community's territory (https://variaciones.com.ar/bajo-el-fuego-of-the-invasión/)
This April 22nd, we call for support for the Global Climate Strike, and to work towards the rights of our people to a life free of agrochemicals with food sovereignty, health, education, and justice.
In Misiones, to celebrate Earth Day, we will carry out an activity together with the Mbya communities that suffer ecocide in their territories.
We invite you to join us by bringing native tree seedlings, so that communities affected by the pine monoculture fires can reforest with native species.
Enough with monoculture, let's plant native crops!
April 22th 2022
CLACSO Working Group
Epistemologies of the South
NuSUR (EIDAES/UNSAM)
Cementérivers of burned pine trees
On the afternoon of the fourth fair, we participated in a conversation for more than two hours with young Clariza Néztor, a chemical engineering student, plastic artist and environmentalist. Lariza lives in Posadas/Misiones and participates in the Rebellion or Extinction organization.
Since February 2022 with some few companions we have been accompanied and joined in the struggle and resistance of about 20 Mbyá Guarani communities against the advance of the Arauco company on their traditional territories to plant pine and eucalyptus.
One of these communities, Puente Quemado 2, located in Garuhapé Mi (Colonia San Miguel), within Garuhapé, a municipality with access on National Route 12, which is exactly halfway between the cities of Posadas and Puerto Iguazú: 150 kilometers to one or the other (https://variaciones.com.ar/bajo-el-fuego-de-la-invasion/).
The community has been established for over four decades. The first to arrive was named Paulino Santa Cruz. He had found a place with pure forest and a good stream.
According to a statement from Emipa, “The Puente Quemado Community was surveyed under Law 26160, which determined that it is entitled to 659 hectares. The company planted pine trees on 333 of these hectares. Arauco intends to occupy only five of those 333 hectares, representing 1,5%.”
The company tries in every way to dispossess the 13 Mbyá families who insist on remaining in their ancestral territory, which has been transformed into a cemetery of burned pine trees. The fires in the Arauco pine forests, which took place between January 16 and 17, ended up burning a total of 330 hectares, including two houses in the village and an entire area dedicated to the cultivation of Mbyá natural medicine (https://variaciones.com.ar/bajo-el-fuego-de-la-invasion/). As fire labaredas engolem everything that is in front.
The State is absent, precarious in health, education, infrastructure (electricity and water access), rights assured in the 1994 Federal Constitution and other laws. In addition to the quest of environmental contamination, dematamento.
The constitutional reform of 1994, in article 75, paragraph 17, recognizes their pre-existence and their indigenous human rights, including the occupation of their ancestral territories.
As the eucalyptus and pine plantations advance, the Mbyá Guarani are prevented from producing their own food and keeping the culture alive.
No access to water is possible. Before we received water from the pipe, now we don't have it. The Arauco company deixou only 2 tanks. Suppress the contamination of two pesticides released on a forest monoculture that degrades itself, dries up water courses and prevents life from happening. No animals have been seen, nor any native plants of the Paranaense Forest.
Clariza says that Mbyá is asking for help to be able to resist. We want to plant food, forests and create life anew.
With the support of the Indigenous Pastoral Missions Team (EMiPA), the mburivicha ordered the Arauco company to “cease all activity” in the community's territory (https://variaciones.com.ar/bajo-el-fuego-de-la-invasion/)
In Misiones, to celebrate Earth Day, we are going to carry out an activity with the Mbya communities that support ecology in their territories.
We invite you to gather native tree plantations, so that the communities affected by the fires of the possam pine monoculture can reforest natively.
Get rid of monocultures, let's plant natives!
This statement expresses the position of the Working Group Epistemologies of the South and not necessarily that of the centers and institutions that make up the CLACSO international network, its Steering Committee or its Executive Secretariat.
