Vicente Cañas
Vicente Cañas, S.J. (Albacete, October 22, 1939 — Mato Grosso, April 6, 1987) was a Spanish Christian missionary, a jesuit brother, who is credited with making the first peaceful contact with the Enawene Nawe Indian tribe in 1974. Afterwards, he lived with them for over ten years, adopting to their way of life and helping them with necessary medical supplies. Due to his help, the Enawene Nawe population rebounded from a low of 97 individuals to a population of over 430. Similar to Chico Mendes and Wilson Pinheiro, he died at the hands of cattle ranchers who are destroying the Amazon Rainforest.
History
Canas helped the Enawene Nawe secure their land which was necessary for their survival. In spite of receiving death threats from land owners and cattle ranchers, he successfully lobbied the Brazilian government for the territory to be officially granted for use by the Enawene Nawe tribe.
The Enawene Nawe were campaigning for the use of an important part of their land known as the Rio Preto which omitted from inclusion in their original territory. Subsequently, the Enawene Nawe received numerous death threats from a the local cattle ranchers. The area is important because it represents an important fishing area for the tribe.
The Enawene Nawe are under mounting threat for their cultural survival. At present the fish population of the Juruena River is at risk of local extinctions because of 5 hydroelectic mini-generators. This means that the celebrated Yakwa festival may not be possible, putting at risk the very basis of their rich religion.
The Rio Preto (Adawina/Adowina) region has still not been demarcated, despite many years of work by the Enawene Nawe and a local indigenist NGO, OPAN (Operação Amazonia Nativa).
These threats are because of what Vicente (Kiwxi) saw all those years ago - colonisation of the state of Mato Grosso and amazonia by soya monoculturalists led by the Maggi family.
Assassination
In 1987, a group of ranchers entered the home of Vicente Canas, near the village of the Enawene Nawe tribe and stabbed him to death. Subsequently, the investigation in to his murder was marred by corruption and incompetence and none of the 6 suspected murderers people were initially charged.
Trial of Murderers
Nineteen years after the murder of Vicente Canas, the trial of those accused of killing him began in Cuiabá, capital of Mato Grosso state. The landmark trial began on the 24th of October 2006 and as of this date, the outcome has not been determined. Three men, which include the former police chief are finally on trial. Two of the other accused murderers have long since died and a third man has been deemed "too old" to stand trial.