October 13, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 176 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session

[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E958-E959]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN RECOGNITION OF THE ASSOCIATION OF BRAZIL'S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES (APIB)

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. RAUL M. GRIJALVA

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 13, 2020

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 
Association of Brazil's Indigenous Peoples (APIB) and their 
internationally respected leader, Secretary General Sonia Guajajara, 
for receiving the prestigious Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award from 
the Institute for Policy Studies on October 15, 2020.
  I would like to add my heartfelt congratulations for their important 
work in defense of the rights of Indigenous Peoples from across Brazil 
and protection of the many natural ecosystems that are part of Brazil's 
ancestral territories.
  APIB and Brazil's National Indigenous Movement have raised the 
profile of Indigenous rights issues through impressive grassroots 
mobilizations, such as the annual Free Land Camp, the implementation of 
the Indigenous Emergency Plan to Combat COVID-19, precedent-setting 
legal victories before the Brazilian Supreme Court, and international 
advocacy among influential spaces like the Inter-American Commission on 
Human Rights and the United Nations.
  I share my special admiration for the powerful leadership roles 
played by many Indigenous women at both national and local levels, even 
with the iminent threats coming from the administration of President 
Jair Bolsonaro. Unfortunately, under President Bolsonaro's 
administration, there has been an increase of violent actions against 
Indigenous peoples, like the invasions into Indigenous lands, illegal 
exploitation of natural resources and other incidents, rising from 109 
cases in 2018 to 256 last year. This also includes the threats against 
and killings of Indigenous leaders and Forest Guardians, like Emyra 
Wajapi, Paulo Paulino Guajajara, and Ari Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau, among 
countless others.
  While those situations are condemnable, I applaud the work performed 
by APIB during these difficult times, and as they continue to create a 
movement of solidarity. Since 2005, APIB's presence has been essential 
to strengthening and unifying Indigenous peoples' demands, politics, 
and rights. By building and strengthening alliances with the 
international Indigenous movement and other social movements, APIB is 
contributing to protect natural resources and promoting sustainable 
management of lands.
  To conclude, I'd like to mention APIB Secretary General Sonia 
Guajajara's words: ``Our lives are inextricable from the natural world. 
The creatures of the rainforest protect us, and in turn we protect 
them. We are the only buffers protecting our thinning forests. Our 
battle is not just for the future. It's for the present.''
  Thank you, APIB, for your extraordinary and essential work for the 
rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Earth.

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