October 31, 2024
By Samuel Ogunsona
Avaaz strongly condemns the detention of Brazilian Indigenous leader and activist Txai Surui during a peaceful protest inside the COP16 venue.
Surui, a renowned young advocate for Indigenous rights and a TIME100 NEXT honoree, was protesting against the Marco Temporal, a Brazilian legal framework that threatens Indigenous land rights.
Surui was detained while demanding an end to violence against Indigenous Peoples. Her protest specifically targeted the Marco Temporal, which stipulates that Indigenous Peoples can only claim land they physically occupied as of October 1988.
Following her release, Surui denounced the violent detention. “The bureaucratic time it takes for them to answer whether we can hold our protest is not the same as the time our relatives are losing their lives.
“It’s not the same as the urgency we expect people to have to solve the problems of combating the climate crisis.” She said.
Surui also addressed President Lula, criticizing oil exploration in the Amazon and projects like the BR-319 road. “Lula, continue to demarcate Indigenous territories, don’t be afraid and don’t play into the hands of the ruralists,” she said.
“Don’t continue with projects to destroy our lives, support the Indigenous Peoples and let’s fight for our lives together.”
Avaaz Campaign Director Laura Rico expressed solidarity with Surui.
Rico said, “If this is what happens with the world’s press nearby, imagine what happens when the eyes of the world are not watching.
“Earth’s guardians are continuously arrested, attacked, and murdered. Every four days an Indigenous Earth defender is killed for protecting their land.”
Rico emphasized that Indigenous Peoples guard the world’s forests but face violence and threats to their lives and territories. “There is no peace with nature without respect for Indigenous Peoples and their territories,” Rico mentioned.
Surui’s activism has been instrumental in highlighting the importance of recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ territories as a crucial solution to the biodiversity and climate crises.
