E/CN.4/1996/72/Add.1
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(c)
The Government of the State of São Paulo established a police
division specialized in racial crimes, which started functioning in June 1993,
following the successful experience of the police divisions specialized in
women;
(d)
The Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro created, in
September 1994, a police division specialized in racial discrimination.
The States of Bahia and São Paulo have also created councils for the
participation and development of the Black communities to enable them to
design and implement economic and social projects meeting their needs.
D.
Constitutional guarantees relating to Indian lands
70.
Concerning indigenous populations, the Federal Constitution of 1988
dedicated to them a specific chapter (Part VIII, chap. VIII), besides
addressing the matter in several other constitutional provisions. The Union
has the power to demarcate indigenous lands and to protect their goods, and
also to legislate on indigenous rights. Disputes involving those rights are
to be considered by federal judges, the Office of the Attorney-General having
the duty to defend in court the rights and interests of the indigenous
populations. It is worth mentioning too Law 5371/67, which established the
National Indian Foundation (FUNAI) and Law 601/73, which established the
Statute for the Indian.
V.
INITIATIVES BY CIVIL SOCIETY
71.
The fact that allowances are made for the specific needs of Indians and
Blacks in the Constitution and in legislation is due to the political and
social action of numerous community and non-community associations which have
recovered their voice as a result of the coming of democracy.
72.
Organizations such as the Movimento Negro Unificado are trying to
raise the political awareness of Afro-Brazilians in order to improve their
participation and their political representation. Numerous cultural
associations, many of which are linked to the terreiros candomblé, macumba and
umbanda - in particular Olodum and Ilê Aiyê (in Salvador da Bahia), Bambarê
(in Belém), the Centro de Estudios e Defesa do Pará (CEDENPA), the Sociedade
Ilê Asipa (Salvador da Bahia) are endeavouring, with very limited resources,
to restore the pride of the Blacks by teaching them their history and their
culture, and by providing children with a modern education in the schools
they set up. Others are especially concerned with the advancement of
Afro-Brazilian women (the Geledes in São Paulo); with street children (the
Centro de Articulaçaoes de Populaçaoes Marginalizadas in Rio de Janeiro); the
Casa Viva of Father Julio Renato Lancelotti which takes in children with AIDS
in São Paulo and which the Special Rapporteur made a point of visiting; its
remarkable work deserves encouragement. Mention must also be made of the
Grupo Mulher e Educaçao Indigena (GRUMIN) of Rio de Janeiro for its activities
on behalf of Indian women. Lastly, there is the National Human Rights
Movement based in Brasilia and represented throughout the Federation which is
opposed to violence in all its forms and vigilantly monitors respect for human
rights by the organs of the State.