Brazil: protests and brutal repression in Dourados

Featured image: blockade on a highway in Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul (MS). Source: A Nova Democracia (AND).

On November 25 the federal highway MS-156 which goes through the Indigenous Reserve of Dourados, was blocked. Indigenous peasants protested against the lack of water they are facing. This lack is affecting at least five thousand indigenous Terena and Guarani Kaiowá. AND reports that even though there was an agreement between the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples and the MS State government to supply more water to the region, the Dourados Reserve was ignored and has not been included in this new improvement of the water supply.

We have reported several times on the repression faced by the indigenous peasants in MS, specially on the case of the Guarani-Kaiowá in Douradina. They faced terror attacks by the goons of latifundium. One of the peasants was executed by the Military Police. The combative and fierce resistance offered by the peasants is the reason for them facing such repression.

This has not prevented the indigenous peasants to continue struggling and protesting. They blocked a highway and defended again their rights: they demanded the sending of water as well as the allowance to drill water wells by themselves.

The shock troops of the military police (MP) brutally repressed the protest. Four protesters were detained and 20 more were injured, including one child. The MP used tear-gas-bombs and even tried to murder the peasants by shooting live ammunition at the protesters.