Thread by @amazonwatch

Today, Brazil’s Supreme Court could define the future of Indigenous land demarcation. It's expected to rule on the “Marco Temporal,” or #TimeLimitTrick, an unconstitutional legal tool created by extractivist lobbies interested in exploiting Indigenous lands in Brazil.

The #TimeLimitTrick is a legal interpretation that claims that Indigenous groups only have the legal right to territory that they were physically occupying as of October 5, 1988 – the day the most recent Constitution was approved. #MarcoTemporalNão

This legal loophole willfully ignores the brutal history of forced displacement of Indigenous peoples, land theft, and violence that occurred before 1988. Instead, it seeks to limit Indigenous territories to only what had not already been stolen from them. apiboficial.org/2021/06/29/bra…

The #TimeLimitTrick was developed by the agribusiness caucus and other sectors interested in the exploitation of Indigenous lands. In order to gain access to them, restricting the constitutional rights of Indigenous peoples became a top priority.
conectas.org/en/noticias/in…

Specifically, the Court will analyze the repossession action filed by the state government of Santa Catarina against the Xokleng people, concerning Ibirama-Laklãnõ Indigenous land. This decision will serve as a guideline for future demarcation procedures.
cimi.org.br/2020/10/conhec…

“My parents, my grandparents, & my great grandparents fought for our land. We were forcibly removed by white men...If victory doesn't come with my generation, my children & grandchildren will follow this path, because it is fair & true." – Faustino Criri of the Xokleng people