“Brazil has to change its imperialist mindset of wanting to take control of Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia. There is a need for a combined effort, to think beyond national borders”. Joao Meirelles, Director of the Peabiru Institute and columnist of OECOAmazonia, gives his views.
At the end of September, the organization took part in the Regional Seminar on the Green Economy in Amazonia, in Belem, capital of the State of Para. The encounter resulted in a document covering the north of the country’s view of sustainable development needed for the region. The proposals have yet to be completed but will be presented shortly to the Federal Government with a view to Rio+20. Although soft-spoken, Meirelles has strong views and he gave his assessment of the meeting and spoke about the role of government in relation to Amazonia.
What’s your overall assessment of the seminar?
The social movements were well represented, the business sector, indigenous people (Indians), descendants of slaves (quilombolas) and NGO’s from all the Amazon states, with the exception of Roraima. It wasn’t a one off event- it was part of an ongoing effort to put pressure on public opinion regarding the Amazonia issue.
In your view, what are the key points of the document?
There are basic issues – property rights, which creates rural violence; a lack of governance, which causes deforestation; public safety, which scares off business investment; a lack of transparency in government, which ignores the fact that large projects need more time for thought, and so they press ahead with an agenda and time frame without any discussion.
The Government still doesn’t give enough importance to Amazonia?
The State doesn’t really care, sharing the resources proportional to the size and fragility of the different contexts of Amazonia. It’s not that there aren’t any plans; it’s just that they aren’t put into action. The
Território da Cidadania (territory citizenship) Program, for example, which began when President Dilma Rousseff was still Chief of Staff, is an excellent idea but it’s on hold.
What is the way forward for sustainable development in the region?
The way forward is to strengthen the local players, community associations, regional and federal government and local businesses, getting everyone to hammer out the differences and negotiate, (but) always respecting basic civil rights. The Amazon needs to be heard and respected. Brazil has to change its imperialist mindset- wanting to take control of Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia. There needs to be a joint effort, think beyond national borders and transform preservation into financial resources.
