Understanding rights of the Kayopo Indians living in Brazil verse the rights of the private developer invasion of their ancestral home takes concern of Human Rights of Indigenous People. By the virtual that Kayopo Indians are indigenous they have right over their land and any attempt by Brazilian developer to build dam on their land which may result to forcing them out of their land is wrong.
To understand the right of Kayopo Indian over their land it is imperative to understand who the indegenous people are. “Indigenous communities, people and nations are those which, having a historical continuity with pre-invasion and pre-colonial societies that developed on their territories, consider themselves distinct from other sectors of the society now prevailing in those territories, or part of them” In the line with the above definition, indigenous people are keen to generation continuity to ensure there is continued existence of their people, culture and ethnic uniqueness. This definition places Kayopo Indians community as an indigenous community meaning all right extended to indigenous should people be accorded to them (Axt, &Corn, 1993).
According to University of Minnesota Human Right Library 2003, indigenous people like Kayopo like any other indigenous species in world are becoming extinct. To allow building of the dam in Kayopo’s land will result to extinction of this community and it culture. The life style of Kayopo show that they are keen on their continuity and maintaining of their culture is evident as indicated by their body painting culture. Their protest over their eviction in past show a great their common interest over their indigenous land which is protected under Human Rights of Indigenous people (Goodale, 2004).
Allowing Brazilian developer to build a dam will result to damage of the ecosystem which has existed for under Kayopo people culture. Construction of dam means that the forest which is home to Kayopo people will be face out. This will result to losing of indigenous trees which were used by this community and their rich culture of traditional herbal medicine which can be tapped for economic benefit (Axt, &Corn, 1993).
Along Amazon River where the Kayopo live is rainforest and eviction of Kayopo in favor of building dam may affect the climate of this area. If the government concerns are keen on global warming, policies which may affect environment should be shunned hence importance of avoiding policies geared towards evicting Kayopo who have been friendly to the environment (Goodale, 2004).
Construction of dam means Kayopo people as well as all other communities living in this forest will be directly affected. This is because they will lose their ancestral land to the developers. If this land will be taken, Kayopo livelihood will be cut as this land is give the food and shelter and other basic needs force them to become internally displaced person in their own land as the government has been silent on provision of alternative land.
On the other hand, construction of dam is advantageous as it will result to creation of employment to the Kayopo people. If the construction commence, the immediate people to benefit from this project will be the locals who happen to be the Kayopo. Construction of dam will bring people of different origin making Kayopo people to benefit as a result of being opened up to the other world and develop from diverse cultures.
Construction of dam is important to the entire country’s economy as it will result to increase of country’s power grid and any attempt to campaign against this project is a major blow the economy in general.
Reference:
Axt, J.R. & Corn, M.L. (1993). Biotechnology, Indigenous People and Intellectual Property Rights. Retrieved on 5th June 2009 from: http://www.ipmall.info/hosted_resources/crs/93-478_930416.pdf
Goodale A. Y. (2004). The Kayapo Indians’ Struggle in Brazil. Retrieved on 5th June 2009 from:
http://www.actionbioscience.org/environment/goodale.html
