Proposal To Implement A Socio-Environmental Mosaic With Indigenous Theme Is Presented At Esmat

With the aim of debating the socio-environmental issue in the state of Tocantins, valuing indigenous and traditional peoples, the Superior School of the Judges of the State of Tocantins (Esmat) hosted a meeting on Monday (March 10th) with indigenous leaders elected in the last election, representatives of the Federal Prosecution (MPF), the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (Funai), the State Secretariat for the Environment and Water Resources (Semarh) and the Secretariat for Original and Traditional Peoples of the state of Tocantins (Sepot). The main objective of the meeting was to promote a dialogue on the challenges faced by indigenous leaders, seek joint solutions to strengthen the representation and defense of the rights of the indigenous peoples in the State, and deepen the discussion on the implementation of indigenous socio-environmental mosaics.

The meeting was chaired by Justice Marco Villas Boas, general director of Esmat, and proposed an inter-institutional, interdisciplinary and intercultural debate with a view to the possible implementation of a socio-environmental mosaic with the overall aim of promoting integrated and participatory management of territories, recognizing and valuing the traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples in environmental conservation and sustainable development.

For Justice Marco Villas Boas, general director of Esmat, in return, Esmat will hold ongoing training courses aimed at institutionalizing the legal framework for the creation of the socio-environmental mosaic with an indigenous theme, valuing the sixteen indigenous peoples present in the state of Tocantins.

“Expertise of Esmat in promoting courses and events on socio-environmental issues will strengthen the professional and academic training not only of indigenous leaders, but also of representatives and technical staff from the state government and other partners,” he said.

Presences

The meeting was attended by general director of Esmat, Justice Marco Villas Boas; deputy director of Esmat, magistrate Wellington Magalhães; the secretaries of State for the Original and Traditional Peoples of Tocantins (SEPOT), Paulo Xerente, and for the Environment and Water Resources (SEMARH), Marcelo Lélis; the federal prosecutor of the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (FUNAI), Lusmar Soares Filho; the chief prosecutor of the Federal Prosecution (MPF) in the state of Tocantins, Álvaro Lotufo Manzano, and indigenous parliamentarians Elso Krensu Xerente and Leomar Wainne Xerente, from the city of Tocantínia; Renato Krahô, from the city of Itacajá, and Micael Weheria Javaé, from the city of Formoso do Araguaia.

About the Mosaic

The proposal of the indigenous socio-environmental is the creation of large areas made up of different Conservation Units (CUs) and territories traditionally occupied by indigenous peoples or traditional populations, organized in an integrated way to manage the territory and its natural resources.

The management of mosaics must be shared between government bodies and local communities, ensuring dialog and the participation of everyone in decisions about the territory. The construction of a mosaic involves several stages, from the identification of territories and CUs to community monitoring and inspection, using tools such as Mapbiomas and the Protected Areas Mosaic Network (Remap).