Exma. Ministra Carmen Lúcia, Supremo Tribunal Federal – STF Brasilia, BRAZIL
cc: Dr. Ricardo Lewandowski [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Your Honorable Ministra Carmen Lucia:

The Executive Board of The Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America (SALSA) stands together with its sister professional organizations to repudiate the decision of the Parliamentary Inquiry Commission (CPI) of the Brazilian Congress’s Chamber of Deputies relating to the activities and procedures of the Brazilian Association of Anthropology (ABA)…The Executive Board of SALSA expresses its concern with the decision of the Parliamentary Inquiry Commission (CPI) regarding the activities of research with traditional communities. We fear that the decision may criminalize anthropologists and other professionals by alleging that they have breached fiduciary regulations and responsibilities. We therefore stand with ABA, which we recognize as one of the most highly respected professional scholarly associations in the world. We believe that the CPI’s interference can only be interpreted as a strategy to intimidate and disrupt the work of highly respected professionals. It could threaten academic freedom and the freedom to do research, endeavors that are fundamental to all scientific work…