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For the first time a Brazilian court has convicted a logger of operating
illegally on Indian land. Last week, Marco Antonio Bogaski was found guilty
by the First Federal Court of Mato Grosso of illegally extracting mahogany
from the Guapore Valley Indian reserve. The lawsuit was brought by the Nucleus
of Indigenous People (NDI) on behalf of the Hahainetsu Indians.

Bogaski’s sentence requires him to compensate the Indians for 132 stolen
logs, and to pay for an environmental recovery plan for the damaged area.
Damages are estimated at around $40 000.

‘We have a number of similar suits lodged with the Federal Attorney’s
office,’ says a spokesman for NDI. ‘The cases will be enormously strengthened
by this decision.’