Approximately 230 invitees, including representatives from the government,
NGO’s, indigenous leaders and researchers, are to meet on the 18 through the 20
of this month in Sinop, Mato Grosso State. They will be participating in the
Symposium: For a Sustainable BR-163- Challenges and Sustainability from Cuiaba
to Santarem. The principal objective of this coming together is to elaborate a
conjunction of socio-environmental proposals for Mato Grosso State’s BR-163
road, also known as the Cuiaba-Santarem Highway. As part of President Lula’s
Pluri-annual Plan 2004-07, presented to the Congress in September, this artery
is to be entirely asphalted.
The Symposium: A Sustainable BR-163 is an initiative by the Socio-Environmental
Institute, developed in partnership with the following entities: Mato Grosso
Forum on the Environment and Development), Centre for Life Institute, the local
State University, the Amazonia Environmental Research Institute, the WWF-Brazil,
The Nature Conservancy and Conservation International with support from the
Agro-Forestry Group for Environmental Protection, Greenpeace, the Rainforest
Foundation, Rainforest Action Network, the Environmental Defence Fund, among
others.
BR-163, constructed in the beginning of the 70’s, was initiative to strengthen
colonisation and agricultural production in the Amazonia. It extends over 1,764
km, of which only 801 km are actually asphalted- the stretch between Cuiaba and
Nova Santa Helena, near the State border with Para.
Lula’s government plans to execute the R$ 760 million project in partnership
with the private sector and with resources from the National Bank for Economic
and Social Development (BNDES). Businesses interested in the project include
Amaggi, Bunge, Cargill, Dreyfus, ADM and Coabra; companies from Manaus’ Free
Trade Zone; and Petrobras.
Considered fundamental to the reduction of costs in soybean exportation,
BR-163’s completion is highlighted as essential by Mato Grosso’s governor,
Blairo Maggi, who estimates that Mato Grosso’s annual soybean economy totals $US
40 million. Mato Grosso is Brazil’s principal soybean producer- with the most
recent crop harvesting 12.6 million tons, more than 10% of the national harvest
(52.2 million tons), 59% exclusively for exportation.
Soybean production has been occupying degraded pastures as well as advancing
upon new terrains, including the National Indigenous Xingu Park (PIX)- read more
about this in the ISA’s publication Xingu in the Shadow of Soybean Production.
To avoid Mato Grosso’s being carved up by the termination of this roadway, and
considering all of the following risk factors involved including the fact that
Mato Grosso has one of the most elevated deforestation rates in the Legal
Amazonia, in 2001 more than 21.6% of the State was deforested; there exists
continued deforestation, uncontrolled migration, illegal mining and irregular
occupation of public lands and numerous other social, environmental and economic
concerns involved with road construction, the BR-163 Symposium intends to define
a series of proposals related to land zoning, sustainability, conservation of
water resources and the improvement of quality of life for the local population.
The conclusions should be presented to the federal government at the beginning
of next year, following the incorporation of the results of another meeting to
be held in Santarem, Para in December to discuss the issues for the Para State
section of BR-163.
Highway construction of BR-163 and the Panara Indigenous People
BR-163 cut through the traditional lands of the Parana People, located near the
source of the River Peixoto de Azevedo, on the border between Mato Grosso and
Para. First contact with outsiders was made in 1973, when the population was
estimated at between 300 to 600 persons. Only 79 individuals had survived the
new diseases introduced by contact with white people, when they were forcibly
transferred in 1975 to the PIX; for further reading ISA published in 1998:
Parana- The Saga of the Giant Indigenous People. This book has as its principal
theme the re-conquest of a part of their traditional lands in 1995. Another
victory was obtained by this group in July of this year when the federal
government was obligated to grant the Parana People R$ 1.2 million as indemnity
for the material and moral damaged caused by this contact.