Cacique Babau
Rosivaldo Ferreira da Silva, best known as Cacique Babau, is the leader of the Serra do Padeiro Tupinambá village, located in the municipality of Buerarema, in Bahia. In their struggle for land rights, the Tupinambás have suffered a serious process of criminalisation, defamation, threats, torture and attempted murders that involve the state, big farmers and the mass media. The Tupinambás ancestral lands were recognised as indigenous territory back in 1996. The human rights defender has also been a strong voice in denouncing environmental crimes in the region.
The challenges and threats faced by human rights defenders in Brazil remain very high, particularly for those working on issues of land, environment, indigenous peoples, LGBTi rights, corruption and impunity. Many HRDs have experienced death threats, physical attacks, arbitrary arrests and lawsuits. The high number of killings is of particular concern and takes place against a background of widespread impunity.
