“Sergipe is the only Brazilian state outside the Racial Equality System”, denounces Linda Brasil

Despite having a majority of the black population – 74.5% of the population declares themselves black and mixed race – Sergipe is the only state outside the National System for the Promotion of Racial Equality (SINAPIR). This was the complaint made by state deputy Linda Brasil (Psol) in today’s plenary session, the 24th, at the Legislative Assembly of Sergipe (Alese), who demanded urgent measures from the State Government regarding the inclusion of Sergipe in SINAPIR.

“What we have today is a situation in which the State neither joined nor set an example, meaning that today only 3 municipalities in Sergipe are in SINAPIR: Laranjeiras, Aracaju and, recently, Santo Amaro das Brotas. Joining SINAPIR requires the existence of an elected and functioning Racial Equality Council, a body for the Promotion of Racial Equality and actions or policies on the topic. Being part of this important system, Sergipe now has priority in the transfer of funds from the Ministry of Racial Equality. Sergipe already has the State Council, but all that remains is for the State, within its structure, to establish a body to promote public policies aimed at racial equality, with a well-defined agenda of actions for inclusion, protection and combating violence caused to the population black woman from Sergipe. We appeal here to the governor and the first lady, who is the secretary of Inclusion and Social Assistance, the body to which this council must be linked, to resolve this situation urgently”, demanded Linda Brasil.

Throughout the month of April, the deputy is carrying out a broad Green April program, with activities aimed at combating racism and religious intolerance. Yesterday, the 23rd, a meeting took place at the Citizenship and Human Rights Commission of the Legislative House of Sergipe, with representatives of the people of terreiros, who debated and presented complaints about the reality of human rights violations that African-based religions face in our state , the result of structural racism, discrimination, intolerance and violence.

On the occasion, professor Ilzver de Matos Oliveira, from the Law department of the Federal University of Sergipe, presented data that confirm that Sergipe is the only state in the country that is outside the racial equality system. “This exclusion is the message that we matter less and gives the federal government the indication that Sergipe is far from it, even though it is a strong state based on the PT government. Imagine if Sergipe was not part of the SUS pact and the consequences that would be generated for the population?”, asked the professor.

At the meeting, the lack of a Racial Equality Secretariat was also questioned. “We know that new secretariats were created in the last government, why wasn’t one created for racial equality and traditional peoples? Poorly thought out priorities. A Secretariat for the Promotion of Racial Equality and Traditional Peoples and Communities, autonomous in management, administration and budget, would bring visibility to Sergipe as the fourth blackest state in the Northeast – giving the message that the governor prioritized the 80% of its active electoral population – would put us on the path of national and international investments through public demonstration of sensitivity to race”, provoked Ilzver.

Sergipe outside the National System for the Promotion of Racial Equality

SINAPIR is a system of agreement between states and municipalities, like the SUS, and, in the same way, it requires all federated entities to participate in it to cooperate in the implementation of policies to promote racial equality and equality for traditional peoples and communities.

Photo: Ascom