Brazil: Land Activist Murdered

Case BRA 250598

The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your URGENT
intervention in the following situation in Brazil.

Brief description of the situation:

According to information received from reliable sources, Mr. Francisco
de Assis Araujo, known as Chicão, leader of Xucuru people, was
murdered May 20th in the Xucuru neighbourhood in Pesqueira, in the
state of Pernambuco. He was ambushed by gunmen and shot twice in the
head and back.

Since 1986, Mr. Francisco de Assis Araujo had been receiving death
threats for his struggle to obtain an area of land for his people. In
1995, he also witnessed the murder of Geraldo Rolim da Mota Filho, the
lawyer of. Funai.

The International Secretariat of the OMCT is concerned about the
persistent human rights violations committed against indigenous
leaders in Brazil.

Action requested:
Please write to the Brazilian authorities urging them to:

i.	-guarantee an impartial and exhaustive enquiry into these facts,
identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and
impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative
sanctions provided by law;

ii.	-ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and
fundamental liberties in accordance with national laws and
international standards.

Addresses:

Exmo Sr Dr Fernando Henrique Cardoso M.D. Presidente da República
Palacio de Planalto CEP: 70150-900 Brasilia, DF, Brasil  Fax + 55 61
226 75 66 / 226-60-37.

Exmo. Sr. Sepulveda Pertence, Presidente do Supremo Tribunal Federal,
Praça dos Tres Poderes, Ed. Anexo 3 andar, Gabinete da Presidencia,
Brasilia - DF-70175-900, Brasil.  Fax : + 55 61 316 55 08

Exmo. Sr. Geraldo Brindeiro, Procurador Geral da Republica, Sgas L2
Sul. Q.603 Lote 23, 3 andar, Brasilia - DF - 70200-901, Brasil Fax : +
55 61 223 61 19

Exmo. Sr. Luis Eduardo Magalhaes, Presidente da Cameora dos Deputados,
Cameora dos Deputados, Palaeio do Congresso Nacional, CEP 000 Brasilia
- D.F.- Brasil Fax : + 55 61 318 2117

Exmo. Sr. Dr. Julio Gaiger D.D. Presidente da Fundacao Nacional do
Indio-FUNAI Brasilia  Fax + 55 61 226 87 82

Geneva, May 25, 1998

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code number of
this appeal in your reply.

The Human Rights Action Network, a part of Derechos Human Rights, distributes appeals on behalf of victims of human rights violations. You are invited to join the network. Please check the date of the present action and do not write if it's over a month old.