Lida Acuña, president of the Paraguayan Institute of Indigenous People (INDI), denounced in Asunción that several Brazilian and Paraguayan soy producers poured poison from an airplane over a population of Ava Guaraní people because they couldn´t evict them.

The incidents started when the owners went to the field occupied by part of an indigenous community, who didn´t let them enter. This happened in Itakyry, Alto Parana department.

According to the Institute, as a consequence of the aggression, Luciano Villalba, leader of the Ysaty community and 12 year-old Manuela Candia, are very ill, as well as other members of the community. In total, 200 people were affected by the pouring of agrotoxics as a “dispersion” measure.

Indigenous people have been suffering attacks for long. A few months ago a school was destroyed to allow the cultivation of GM soy, and the same happened to a community cemetery.

The agrotoxics spilled over the population also affected crops which mean the livelihood of 700 families distributed in five municipalities.

Paraguayan peasant leader, Belarmino Balbuena said to Prensa Latina that “the oligarchic sectors and the groups responsible for the attacks against native peoples have all the support of the most corrupt judges of Paraguay”.

“We are very sorry that these things continue to occur in Paraguay against the poorest communities, such as indigenous communities who cannot defend themselves”, said Balbuena.

He also said that when their rights are strongly violated they become news, but their claim for justice never does.

Soy producers filed a complaint requesting the eviction of communities, but this was appealed by the Ava Guarani people, and as a result the eviction was suspended.

So, they decided to force the eviction of the communities, and on October 6th, they arrived with tens of vehicles to transfer the indigenous people. The Ava Guaraní confronted the attackers, exerting their fair right to defend their lands. The vehicles were withdrawn, but minutes later airplanes flew over their homes and massively poisoned them.

This attack was responded by Fernando Lugo´s administration. Paraguayan Health Minister, Esperanza Martinez, visited the area and witnessed the extremely negative effects of the event, and made sure that the National Attorney´s Office investigated the case.

“These people were covered with some kind of liquid thrown through an airplane”, said Esperanza Martinez to an Asuncion radio station, according to ABC Color newspaper.

“This is very clear for me. In epidemiology this means severe intoxication caused by an external unknown agent”, Martinez said.

Soy producers gave an almost ridiculous excuse: they stated that this was simply a “trip” and they were not fumigating.

Meanwhile, the Health Minister said that this is evidence of how defenseless are many populations of the country. She explained this does not only affect native peoples, but also peasants, and even urban dwellers who cannot access health services.

Photo: http://www.agencianova.com