It is therefore important to give a full account of their status, thus providing us with the context of the relationship between native American populations and the policies of the various countries owning parts of Amazonia. Today's picture is the result of a long process involving :
* the history of political choices made vis à vis indigenous
populations since the colonization of the Americas by Europeans ;
* the history of submission or resistance of indigenous populations and the
present revival of their protest, when it does occur.
Though centrered around land rights, the debate we are presenting here must necessarily take into account the individual's rights because the two are a single issue as far as the legislator is concerned. Several important recent publications were referred to, and the following were particularly helpful in the matter :
*1987, Terras Indígenas no Brasil, CEDI ;
*1990, GRENAND P. & F., Les Amérindiens, des peuples pour la
Guyane de demain ;
*1991, SANTILLI M.,"Os direitos indígenas na
constituição brasileira", in Povos Indígenas no
Brasil ;
*1992, BRACKELAIRE V., La problématique des terres indiennes
d'Amazonie ;
*1992, Protected areas of the world, a review of national systems,
vol.4, Nearctic and Neotropical ;
*1992, RIBERA C.N., Reconocimiento, demarcación y control de
territorios indigenas : situación y experiencias en Bolivia ;
*undated : SANDHEz E. et al., Bases para la conformación de las
entidades territoriales indigenas (Columbia).
References for complementary texts are provided as they are mentioned. The present state of indigenous land and nature reserves is presented in map 11, vol. II, Atlas, 'Protected areas of Greater Amazonia'.