Brazilian court hears landmark Indian reserve case

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

BRASILIA (AFP) — Brazil's supreme court Wednesday began examining a case about a vast indigenous reserve whose outcome could fan a conflict between Amazon Indians and white farmers in the territory.

Deliberations were expected to continue all day and possibly into Thursday.

The verdict on the Raposa Serra do Sol reserve -- a northern zone half the size of Belgium butting up against the borders of Venezuela and Guyana -- will also be a legal precedent for 144 other native land claims in Brazil.

Around 30 Indians from the Raposa reserve were camped out the front of the supreme court building in Brasilia awaiting the judgement, some of them in traditional grass skirts and colorful headwear.

The court was to decide whether reserve boundaries set by the...