MPI details reparation actions under the New Rio Doce Agreement for Indigenous peoples

Accompanied by representatives from various Federal Government agencies, the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples (Ministério dos Povos Indígenas /MPI) carried out a new round of briefings on the New Rio Doce Basin Agreement with Puri communities in Minas Gerais (on Tuesday, March 25), and with Tupiniquim and Guarani communities in Espírito Santo (on Wednesday and Thursday, March 26-27). Coordinated by the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic (Secretaria Geral da Presidência da República /SG-PR), the Interministerial Mission deployed a team to these territories to explain the section of the agreement — valued at BRL 8 billion — aimed at repairing collective damage to Indigenous, Quilombola, and traditional peoples as a result of the collapse of the Fundão Dam in 2015.

“On the occasion, the presence of Federal Government representatives does not constitute a consultation regarding whether or not Indigenous peoples accept the New Agreement. We are here to align information and combat fake news. Furthermore, we were informed of the need to discuss the New Agreement beyond Annex 3, so that other policies and programs under the Government’s responsibility — to which affected Indigenous peoples have access — are properly presented,” explained Jarbas Vieira da Silva, Director of the National Secretariat for Social Dialogue and Public Policy Coordination, linked to the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic (SG-PR).

The allocation of funds designated for Indigenous peoples will follow a model determined by the communities themselves and will be developed through a consultation process, establishing priorities based on the actual needs of each territory and according to arrangements decided by the communities. The amounts will be disbursed over a period of 20 years and may be used for projects designed with the participation and consent of Indigenous groups. If the government’s proposal is accepted, more than BRL 108 million are expected to be allocated to the Puri people, and BRL 1.59 billion to the Tupiniquim and Guarani peoples. The funds will be invested in Independent Technical Advisory (ATI, from the original term in Portuguese) services, financial assistance, damage assessments, and collective structural measures.

During the meetings, in addition to distributing informational booklets about the New Agreement to Indigenous communities, public officials provided explanations about the planned investments and actions from each government agency, while also listening to the concerns and questions raised by Indigenous participants.

“The Federal Government continues to respect the 18-month period established for providing clarifications about the New Agreement, following its ratification in October 2024. These presentations help us understand how Indigenous peoples perceive the agreement —particularly in light of a new annex that was not part of the previous version of the agreement’s governance structure. Many questions remain within the communities, particularly regarding access to government programs tailored to each territory,” emphasized Bruno Potiguara, Director of the Department of Territorial and Environmental Management and Promotion of Indigenous Buen Vivir (Departamento de Gestão Ambiental Territorial e Promoção do Bem Viver Indígena) at the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples (Ministério dos Povos Indígenas /MPI).

These presentations help us understand how Indigenous peoples perceive the agreement —particularly in light of a new annex that was not part of the previous version of the agreement’s governance structure. Many questions remain within the communities, particularly regarding access to government programs tailored to each territory.” — Bruno Potiguara, Director of the Department of Territorial and Environmental Management and Promotion of Indigenous Buen Vivir at the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples

EXCLUSIVE ANNEX FOR ORIGINAL PEOPLES AND TRADITIONAL COMMUNITIES — The agreement that was set to be signed in 2022 did not guarantee specific resources for Indigenous peoples. Moreover, it eliminated nearly all obligations for the companies involved, failed to require the removal of mining waste, and brought an end to the monitoring of areas affected by the environmental disaster for which Samarco, BHP, and Vale are responsible. Valued at BRL 65 billion, the initial pact also lacked compensation programs for affected communities and focused its resources primarily on infrastructure and the impacted federal units.

Unlike previous terms, the current agreement includes a dedicated annex that prioritizes Indigenous and Traditional Peoples and Communities (IPCTs, from the original Portuguese term). The New Agreement also features a transition annex, introduced in response to several actions that were halted in the territories by Fundação Renova — an entity fully under the responsibility of the companies responsible for the environmental crime. This annex outlines measures to be implemented, such as the provision of mineral water, the construction of artesian wells, and matters related to the Indigenous Basic Environmental Plans (Planos Básicos Ambientais Indígenas /PBAIs). The consultation process with Indigenous communities is scheduled to conclude in March 2026.

Andressa Lewandowski, technical advisor at the Department for Mediation and Resolution of Indigenous Land Conflicts (Departamento de Mediação e Conciliação de Conflitos Fundiários Indígenas /DEMED) of the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples (MPI), explained in all the communities and villages visited that, unlike the other annexes in the renegotiation, Annex 3 contains a proposal specifically designed for IPCTs. If accepted following the clarification process, the BRL 8 billion will be distributed across three core pillars. In total, the agreement includes 18 annexes.

Distribution of the funds allocated to Indigenous peoples will follow a model decided by the communities themselves.

The first pillar consists of financial assistance for a period of 18 months following the ratification of the agreement — a timeline that aligns with the consultation process with Indigenous peoples. There is also a provision for an additional 72 months of assistance per family unit, should the communities collectively determine that the government’s proposal meets their needs. The second pillar refers to Independent Technical Advisory (ATI) services, with an allocation of BRL 698 million. These services will be structured based on formats defined by the communities themselves, enabling them to stay informed and effectively monitor the reparation process. The third pillar focuses on collective structural measures to be implemented in the territories, based on the identification of impacts to be addressed. These actions will follow a self-managed model, led by Indigenous communities and overseen by the Federal Government.

“If the New Agreement is not accepted by Indigenous communities, responsibility for implementing the structural measures, financial assistance, and related actions will revert to the companies, which will then be required to carry them out instead of the Federal Government. The objective is to create space for dialogue and clarification, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of how the other annexes address the needs of the communities — especially given that the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples and FUNAI [the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples] are responsible for coordinating with other ministries due to their direct engagement with the territories. It is important to emphasize that, regardless of whether Annex 3 is accepted, Indigenous peoples remain entitled to the measures provided by the other ministries participating in the New Agreement,” Lewandowski emphasized.

SEE ALSO

Download the informational booklet on the New Rio Doce Agreement (in Portuguese)

INVESTMENTS — In all the meetings, in addition to distributing informational booklets about the New Agreement to Indigenous communities, representatives from the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples (MPI), FUNAI, the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic (SG-PR), and the ministries of Health (Saúde /MS), Social Development and Assistance, Family and Hunger Eradication (Desenvolvimento e Assistência Social, Família e Combate à Fome /MDS), Education (Educação /MEC), Agrarian Development and Family Farming (Desenvolvimento Agrário e Agricultura Familiar /MDA), and Fisheries and Aquaculture (Pesca e Aquicultura /MPA) provided explanations about the planned investments and actions under each ministry. They also listened carefully to the participants’ demands and questions.

Under the coordination of the Ministry of Health, a total of BRL 12 billion is earmarked for the establishment of the Special Health Program for the Rio Doce within Brazil’s Unified Health System (Sistema Unificado de Saúde /SUS). In turn, MDS has allocated BRL 640 million to strengthening social assistance, while MEC holds BRL 2 billion for actions in the field of education, and MPA has BRL 2.4 billion for policy initiatives in the area of fisheries, for example.

INCURSIONS INTO INDIGENOUS TERRITORIES — On Tuesday (25), Team 3 of the Mission focused on listening to and engaging in dialogue with different Puri groups — once considered extinct. Meetings were held with the Uchô Betháro Puri Communities in Aimorés and the à Puki group in Resplendor —both in the state of Minas Gerais—, where approximately 30 and 50 Indigenous individuals from urban contexts participated, respectively. In the afternoon, the Krim Orutu Village —a territory reclaimed by another Puri group in the northern part of the municipality of Itueta— welcomed members of the Mission for a meeting with around 100 people.

The following day, Team 3 attended a meeting at the Central Cabana, which brought together around 50 leaders and representatives from communities within the Comboios Indigenous Land, officially recognized in 1998. This territory includes the villages of Comboios and Córrego do Ouro, both located in the municipality of Aracruz, in the state of Espírito Santo. Covering approximately 4,000 hectares, the Comboios Indigenous Land is home to the Tupiniquim people and lies within the Atlantic Forest biome. It is inhabited by 928 individuals across 276 families. The team was welcomed by a delegation of nine local Indigenous leaders, who guided them through various areas of the territory to highlight zones directly impacted by the collapse of the Fundão Dam and to demonstrate how these damages have affected the traditional ways of life of the local Indigenous population.

If the proposal is accepted, more than BRL 108 million is expected to be allocated to the Puri people, and BRL 1.59 billion to the Tupiniquim and Guarani peoples.

The first meeting on Thursday (27) took place in the Olho D’Água village, home to the Guarani people, with the participation of the Commission of Tupiniquim and Guarani Chiefs. Around 40 people engaged in discussions with representatives of the Federal Government, including leaders, secretaries, association coordinators, and residents of Olho D’Água and nearby villages such as Piraquê Açu, Nova Esperança/Ka’aguy Porã, Boa Esperança, and Areal.

In the afternoon, Team 3 arrived at Caieiras Velha village for a meeting with the Territorial Council of the Tupiniquim and Guarani peoples, with a quorum of approximately 110 participants, including Tupiniquim and Guarani Indigenous individuals. The Council represents four villages: Caieiras Velha, Irajá, Três Palmeiras, and Pau-Brasil — the first being the largest, covering 35% of the Tupiniquim-Guarani Indigenous Land, which was officially recognized in 2010.

NEXT STEPS — According to Elis Nascimento, advisor at the Secretariat for Environmental and Territorial Indigenous Management (SEGAT, from the original in Portuguese) and acting director of MPI’s Department of Climate Justice (DEJUC, from the original in Portuguese), the Federal Government’s next steps are to: define, in partnership with Indigenous communities, the schedule of actions related to drafting the Terms of Reference for the Independent Technical Advisors (ATIs); resume activities outlined in the transition annex that involve Indigenous peoples; and provide further clarification on Annex 3 so that proper consultations can be carried out regarding their potential adherence to the New Agreement for the Rio Doce Basin.

“The environmental crime disrupted the intrinsic relationship that Indigenous peoples have with their territories and harmed practices related to agriculture, fishing, traditions, spirituality, and ways of life. As one of the Secretariat’s priorities is the development of consultation protocols — as established by ILO Convention 169 — SEGAT considers it essential to ensure the well-being of those affected by the dam collapse. Although some of the damage is irreversible, this violation does not negate their right to territorial integrity or to free, prior, and informed consultation,” stated Nascimento.

According to Francisco Itamar Gonçalves Melgueiro, FUNAI’s General Coordinator of Environmental Management, the New Agreement represents a collective effort not only by the Federal Government, but primarily by Indigenous peoples, with the participation of other entities such as the Judiciary, the governments of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo, and various institutions. “As MPI and FUNAI, what we ensured in the Agreement was the opportunity for Indigenous peoples to discuss and understand —Annex 3 in particular— so that they can make their own decisions.”