Sunday 27 November 2011

How many more?

Brazil Chief Killed in Land Dispute

Gunmen killed a chief of the Kaiowa-Guarani Indian tribe in western Brazil on Friday, apparently over a land dispute, according to Funai, the federal indigenous affairs agency. An agency spokesman said more than 40 “hooded and heavily armed” gunmen raided the village of Tekoha Guaiviry in Mato Grosso do Sul State and shot Chief Nisio Gomes. A Funai spokeswoman said it appeared the gunmen had been hired by ranchers seeking to expel the tribe from land claimed by both sides. Renato Santana, a spokesman for the Indian Missionary Council, backed by the Roman Catholic Church, said Mr. Gomes was “summarily executed” in front of his son. “Everything indicates that ranchers, who want the land to raise cattle and plant sugarcane, hired the gunmen to get rid of Gomes, who was an outspoken defender of Indian rights,” he said.

This had no coverage in many countries in the western world and yet if 40 people turned up with guns to someone's house in the UK the press would have a field day.

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