DiHuCi Study Research and Extension Group – Federal University of Piauí

Defending the rights of traditional communities impacted by the construction of the Trans-Northeastern railroad, a project backed by the federal government as part of its Growth Acceleration Program (PAC, in Portuguese), and by wind energy and mining developments in the Paulistana region of southeastern Piauí.

– Seminars meant to deepen understanding of impacts, both present and future, and raise awareness of the right to prior consultation prescribed in Convention 169 of the ILO;

– Formation of working groups to build instruments for making denunciations and demands to constituted powers and international organisms;

– Accompaniment and supervision of the process of conceding environmental licenses at the municipal, state and federal levels;

– Filing a Public Civil Suit to denounce and investigate the responsibility of public and private administrative organs that have, with State approval, carried out Trans-Northeastern construction projects as well as continuing developments for wind energy and mining, ignoring the rights of traditional communities that occupy the territory.

The DiHuCi Study Research and Extension Group – Human Rights and Citizenship emerged in 2010, comprised of undergraduate students in Law and Journalism and graduate students in Anthropology and Sociology, as well as human rights campaigners from various academic areas committed to the defense and promotion of human rights, developing research activities along two lines: “gender”, with the intent to draw attention to the hierarchies and inferiority bestowed upon women in gender relations, and “socio-environmentalism”, with a focus on the relationship between traditional populations, the environment, human rights and the State.

strong>Selection: Strategic litigation, advocacy and communication for the promotion, protection and defense of human rights

The project allowed for new partnerships with social movements and social pastorals to be established and existing ones to be strengthened. This resulted in a more viable and ample continuity of the work carried out in the semiarid region. Another important point was the relationship established, built on trust, with the communities (especially that of Contente and Barro Vermelho who had their organization strengthened and widened) which included groups historically vulnerable in decision-making processes: women, youth and older people.  The empowerment of the communities afflicted by the railway project is noteworthy, particularly the sense of leadership and firmness heard in their speeches in defense of their rights, as well as their insight into the impact and disrespect that the corporations are guilty of. This became quite clear through participation in seminars and hearings. It was also possible to raise awareness and draw the attention of society and the public authorities to the situation of the semi-arid region with the arrival of huge construction works and the violations caused by them. This was done by a letter to the public spread through social networks; denouncements posted on the collective’s official Facebook page; holding a seminar in Paulistana; participation and publication of the Fifth Scream of the Semi-arid in São Raimundo Nonato; and by conducting the Pilgrimage of the Land. Another accomplishment was the resumption of the “Campaign in Defense of Waters, Lands and Peoples of Piauí,” which unites social movements and pastorals of the Catholic Church in defense of life.