Novo Encanto assists in the training of Federal Judges

Juliane Oliveira*

| August 23^rd, 2018

The Novo Encanto Association of Ecological Development, the Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT) and the Association of Federal Judges of the 1^st Region (AJUFER) held the II Seminar of Amazonian Law – Traditional Populations and the Environment, at the Vila de Alter do Chão (SantArém-PA) on the 26^th, 27^th and 28^th of this past July. Novo Encanto is the partner organization of the Beneficent Spiritist Center União do Vegetal. The Federal Court of the 1^st Region has jurisdiction over the Federal District and also over the states of Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Bahia, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, Pará, Piauí, Rondônia, Roraima and Tocantins.

The Seminar had as objectives, to not only put federal judges that work in these units of the Federation in contact with the complexity of the life of the traditional Amazonian populations, but also to train them to work with the Amazonian demands. According to Teodoro Irigaray, the scientific coordinator of the Seminar and General Assistant Mestre of the UDV, this training was one of the objectives of Novo Encanto in holding the event.

“This Seminar occurred in a very interesting manner with the presence of international authorities. The goal of Novo Encanto and of the União do Vegetal, in supporting an event like this one, is to greater sensitize the authorities so that they, before deciding a case, may know what they are judging and also know the consequences of the judgement. Many times, they are decisions that will impact an entire community, and the Judge has the right to go meet and speak with the people”, explains Mestre Teodoro Irigaray.

Caretakers of the Amazon

Leonardo Pauperio, the President of the AJUFER, highlights that the jurisdiction of the Federal Court of the 1^st Region covers 80% of the national territory, and this gives the Federal Court of this area the condition of being Caretaker of the Amazon. “All the federal jurisdiction of the Brazilian Amazon pertains to the Federal Judges of the 1^st Region. This demands of us an effort and a search for specialized training with the goal of handling this enormous responsibility, with the present and future generations, of preserving this unequaled environmental heritage and guaranteeing the conservation of the rights of the traditional populations who live here”, affirms Pauperio.

International Presence

Over three days, Federal Judges associated with the AJUFER and guests met in the Vila de Alter do Chão to exchange experiences. The Seminar included the presence of approximately 40 Federal Judges and guests. Among them were representatives from the Latin-American Federation of Magistrates (FLAM), from the International Union of Portuguese Language Judges (UIJLP) and from the Organization of American States.

The participants were also able to know a little more about the reality faced in other countries with similar challenges as those experienced in Brazil; such as the case of Mozambique, located in Africa. Carlos Pedro Mondlane, President of the Mozambican Judges Association and representative of the International Union of Portuguese Language Judges (UIJLP), reinforced the importance of Human Rights for the protection of traditional populations. Mozambique faces problems that are common also to Brazil, such as slave labor and illegal mineral and timber extraction. Mondlane emphasized in his speech the need to strengthen the African initiatives for the protection of its traditional populations; giving emphasis to the pygmies, who have a deep relationship with Nature, which fulfills for them some of their needs – both physical as well as spiritual.

Visit to Traditional Populations

On the third day of the event, the judges and guests visited two traditional communities located along the Tapajós River. They learned about some of the local culture and were able to share in moments of joy and exchange of knowledge with the river folk of the Tauari Community and the Indians of the Muduruku Tribe. For the great majority of those present, this was the first contact with populations so distant and with realities so different from those to which they are accustomed.

For the President of the Federal Regional Court of the 1^st Region, Appellate Judge Carlos Eduardo Moreira Alves, the visit to the Tauari Community and to the Muduruku Tribe was a gift for the Magistrates. “We are having God’s blessing to have close contact with a bit of the culture of these populations who live in these places and about their enchanted environment, which is the Amazonian biome” he affirmed. For the Appellate Judge, this contact with the communities “allows for a knowledge of the difficulties that these people have in maintaining that which is the obligation of all of us: to maintain a balanced, preserved and sustainable environment because it is our source of life”.

**Photo Caption: Seminar included the participation of national and international authorities – R/L: Federal Judge Leonardo Pauperio (President of AJUFER), Judge Carlos Pedro Mondlane, from Mozambique (representative of the International Union of Portuguese Language Judges), Appellate Judge Carlos Eduardo Moreira Alves (President of the Federal Regional Court of the 1^st Region) and Teodoro Irigaray (Scientific Coordinator of the Seminar) | Photo: Marcelo Abrahão.

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*Juliane Oliveira is a member of the Instructive Body of Sede Geral (Brasília-DF).

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Translation Coordinator: Isabel Cavalcante, member of the Body of Counsel of Núcleo Jardim Florescendo (Gainesville, FL – USA) | Translated by: Adrian Van Deusen, member of the Instructive Body of Núcleo Jardim Florescendo (Gainesville, FL – USA) | Revised by: Jonathan Spoliansky, member of the Cadre of Mestres of Núcleo Jardim Florescendo (Gainesville, FL – USA)