Conflicts in the Countryside: Legal Amazon records almost half of the occurrences in 2023

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By Camila Pinheiro, ContilNet – Rondônia

Over the past year, the Legal Amazon has faced a growing wave of conflicts in the countryside, revealing significant challenges for local communities and the environment. According to the annual report of the Pastoral Land Commission (CPT), the region recorded 1,034 of the 2,203 conflicts documented throughout Brazil, standing out as a critical point in the agrarian issue in the country.

The report reveals an alarming increase in land conflicts in the Legal Amazon, totaling 883 occurrences in 2023. The state of Pará leads this scenario, with 183 conflicts affecting 38,597 families, followed by Maranhão (171 records and 17,074 families) and Rondônia (162 cases and 9,573 families affected). The Munduruku and Kayapó Indigenous Lands, in Pará, emerge as areas particularly affected by these conflicts.

Water-related conflicts are also a central concern, with 95 incidents recorded in 2023. Although there is a slight drop compared to the previous year, the states of Pará, Rondônia, Maranhão and Amazonas still lead in the number of records, affecting 26,502 families in total. The destruction and pollution of water resources are the main problems faced, especially in the most vulnerable areas of the region.

Violence against people in the Legal Amazon has also reached worrying levels, with more than 1,100 victims recorded in 2023. Small landowners and indigenous people are the most affected, facing threats, attacks and even murders. However, resistance persists, with occupation and resumption actions in several states, involving thousands of families in search of justice and protection of their rights.

Another alarming point revealed by the report is the persistence of slave labor in the Legal Amazon, with 54 incidents recorded in 2023. The state of Pará stands out as the most affected, with 21 cases and 247 workers rescued, followed by Maranhão (13 cases and 104 rescued people). Deforestation activities for soybean planting, charcoal factories and mining emerge as the main contexts for labor exploitation.

In addition to traditional conflicts, the CPT report highlights the emergence of conflicts related to carbon credits in the region. Pará leads in this regard, with 22 communities involved in disputes over carbon projects, covering around 6.9 million hectares. These projects, often promoted on public lands, raise questions about territorial rights, land use and environmental preservation, further fueling tension in the Legal Amazon.

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