Socio-environmental conflicts in the border of Brazil and France: o

Abstract

This study analyzes the socio-environmental conflicts between residents of the Vila Brasil community, in the municipality of Oiapoque, and the Tumucumaque Mountains National Park. The research highlights that the vocation of Vila Brasil community, located at the French-Brazilian border, is due to the commercial enterprise of the Wãpi tribe of the Camopi village (French Guiana); the existing conflicts between the community of Vila Brasil and the administrative board of the Tumucumaque Mountains National Park is due to limitations of land occupation and use, taking into account that their stay in the park is conditioned to a set of norms to be followed, such as the prohibition of expanding homes, crops or livestock (such as hen, pigs, cattle). The participatory diagnosis demonstrated that the creation process of the Tumucumaque Mountains National Park was not intensely debated in public hearings with the community, which pertains to the park's protection unit; and, the inefficacy of the Brazilian state in implementing public policies in Vila Brasil is noticeable, which lacks basic infrastructure of sewage and electricity. This study expects to contribute to the visibility of conflicts and problems taking place between the community of Vila Brasil and the Tumucumaque Mountains National Park, and further emphasizes the need for a larger presence of the Brazilian state with public policies, in order to ensure dignity for the local population.

Keywords: Vila Brasil; Conflicts; Tumucumaque Mountains National Park;Border.