Decree ignored the population’s will, manifested in a public consultation

The Chamber is analyzing the Legislative Decree Bill 1148/08, proposed by the Deputy Zequinha Marinho (PMDB-PA), which voids the presidential decree which created the National Forest of Jamanxim, in the municipality of
Novo Progresso (PA).

Marinho affirms that the creation of the conservation unit was preceded by public consultations, as Law determines, but the population’s contrary opinion, manifested at that time, was ignored.

“Without any doubt, that decree should be void, since it did not take popular will into consideration”, said the deputy. “The local population challenged the merit of the bill and suggested a change in the perimeter and of the proposed handling category”, he affirmed.

Dorothy Stang
The National Forest of Jamanxim has an approximated area of 1,300 hectares and was created in 2006 at the region of BR-163, in the midst of international commotion caused by the death of the missionary Dorothy Stang in that neighborhood.

Zequinha Marinho affirms that large areas of that Forest have already been occupied by pastures for bovine cattle. “It is one of the most deforested conservation units of Amazonia” he says.

In those conditions, the Deputy assesses that Public Power could not have transformed that area into a conservation unit. “Supporting what would be a noble cause, Federal Government, in an erroneous and clumsy way, economically immobilized one of the richest Brazilian regions.”

Mineralogical researches
According to the deputy, one of the consequences was the interruption of mineralogical researches performed by private companies in the region. “Mining activity, developed in a responsible way and under the rules imposed by quite severe legislation reduces to a minimum the impacts on the environment”, he affirms.

Procedure
The bill will be analyzed by the Committees on Agriculture, Animal Industry, Supply and Rural Development; on the Environment, and Sustainable Development; and on the Constitution and Justice and Citizenship. The bill will also be voted by the House Floor.

Report - Edvaldo Fernandes
Editing - Pierre Triboli/Rejane Xavier
Translation - Positive Idiomas Ltda