Indigenous People's Regional Conferences

Introduction

The Indigenous People's Regional Conferences - promoted by the Brazilian National Indian Foundation (Fundação Nacional do Índio - FUNAI) since 2004 - are preparatory phases for the Indigenous People’s National Conference, due in April 2006. The Conferences are consultation mechanisms, having as its main goal to set out new direction lines to reformulate the official policies promoted by the Brazilian State, aimed at indigenous population. By doing this, the Brazilian government expects to adopt respect for the indigenous people’s rights, according to the priorities elected by their own representatives.

Legal and Institutional guiding lines

The legal endorsement of the Indigenous People's Conferences is found in the presidential decree that promulgated, in April 2004, the 169 Convention of the International Labour Organization on indigenous and tribal people. This Convention determines, in its 6th Article:

1. In applying the provisions of this Convention, Governments shall:

(a) Consult the people concerned, through appropriate procedures and in particular through their representative institutions, whenever consideration is being given to legislative or administrative measures which may affect them directly;
(b) Establish means by which these people can freely participate, to at least the same extent as other sectors of the population, at all levels of decision-making in elective institutions, administrative and other bodies responsible for policies and programmes which concern them;
(c) Establish means for the full development of these people's own institutions and initiatives, and in appropriate cases provide the resources necessary for this purpose.

2. The consultations carried out in application of this Convention shall be undertaken, in good faith and in a form appropriate to the circumstances, with the objective of achieving agreement or consent to the proposed measures.

Another document that endorses the decision to promote the Conferences, "Commitment with the Indigenous Peoples", established by Brazil's President Luís Inácio Lula da Silva - Labour Party (Partido dos Trabalhadores - PT) during his electoral campaign. This document defines the guide lines and programmatic issues to build a new democratic indigenist policy, affirming the commitment to define it together with the indigenous leaders, communities and political sectors interested in clear, democratic, objective and coherent indigenist policies, aiming to guarantee the respect to indigenous people’s rights.

Main objectives

The Internal Regulation of the Indigenous People’s Regional Conferences is a document that proposes the way they could be conducted, establishes the achievement of the following goals:

- To consult indigenous representatives about which indigenist policies should be adopted by the State and Government, and reevaluate the conduction of public policies;

- To contribute for the definition of democratic indigenist policies, including the revision of the Indigenous People Statute, the implementation of partnerships and the improvement in the formulation of new declarations in the international system;

- To consolidate indigenous rights already conquered;

- To promote a larger involvement of the indigenous people in social, political and economical Brazilian scenario;

- To promote inter-sectorial joint in federal, state and municipal levels and also with non-governmental organizations (NGO’s);

- To discuss ways to intervene in the management and social control of the public policies;

- To propose the creation of a National Council for Indigenist Policies.

The Indigenous People’s Regional Conferences held in Brazilian Regions

9 Indigenous People's Regional Conferences has already taken place, and the National Conference is due to be held in April 2006. Further details can be found in the chart below.

Brief description of themes and activities developed during the Regional Conferences

The Regional Conferences programme includes presentations made by specialists in different areas and debates about the following themes:

- Autonomy, tutoring, self-determination -- Indigenous People’s Statute revision;
- Environment and environment management;
- Territorial issues;
- Indigenous culture and education;
- Indigenous health;

During group debates, held after specialists’ presentations, only the indigenous delegates have the right to speak, while the other participants may manifest only when allowed by the plenary. The Internal Regiment defines the general structure of the Conference, however, it is the plenary that decides about the way activities should be conducted.

In general terms, in the first day of the event there is an official opening ceremony, followed by the Indigenous Previous Meeting, when the Internal Regiment is discussed and approved if the majority agrees. In this opportunity the indigenous delegates nominate a group of representatives with the attribution to guide, lead and supervise work carried out during the conference.

Thereafter, most of time is dedicated to analyzing and discussing the present days problems related to the daily themes, leading to the formulation of proposals of indigenist policies to be adopted by the State. Those are the same proposals that will be discussed during the Indigenous People’s National Conference, by means to achieve the formulation of a final document that will meet the expectations and recommendations of all Indigenous People of Brazil regarding a better quality of life and maintenance of their ancestor’s societies, culture and traditions.