Hundreds of&nbsp;indigenous&nbsp;people began gathering in the&nbsp;Brazilian&nbsp;capital&nbsp;on Monday for a 10-day&nbsp;protest&nbsp;camp&nbsp;to defend their&nbsp;land&nbsp;rights&nbsp;and oppose a government bill in Congress that would allow mining and oil exploration on their reservations.

Organizers are hoping to gather 7,000 people from 200 of Brazil's 305 tribes to&nbsp;press&nbsp;Congress not to pass legislation proposed by far-right President Jair Bolsonaro that would open their protected&nbsp;lands to commercial mining and agriculture.

"We will not retreat," said Sonia Guajajara, head of the country's main&nbsp;indigenous&nbsp;umbrella organization, the Articulation of&nbsp;Indigenous&nbsp;Peoples (APIB) that represents most of Brazil's 900,000&nbsp;indigenous&nbsp;people.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazilian-company-using-proceeds-acquired-by-selling-nfts-to-preserve-amazon-rainforest-465996">Brazilian company using proceeds acquired by selling NFTs to preserve Amazon rainforest</a>

Warriors in feathered headdresses with their bodies painted with the black and red dyes of Amazon fruit seeds danced chanting ritual songs as they put up tents on the grassy esplanade next to government ministries in central Brasilia.

Bolsonaro has said&nbsp;indigenous&nbsp;people have too much&nbsp;land, holding up the development of the country, and vowed not to recognize an inch more of reservation&nbsp;lands. Environmentalists say the reservations save the rainforest from destruction.

Guajajara said 13 per cent&nbsp;of Brazil's territory is protected&nbsp;indigenous&nbsp;reservation&nbsp;land, with 98 per cent&nbsp;of that in the Amazon region. But 400&nbsp;indigenous&nbsp;communities are still struggling to get their ancestral&nbsp;lands recognized.

Watch |&nbsp;At least 14 dead as torrential rains wreak havoc in Brazil

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/at-least-14-dead-as-torrential-rains-wreak-havoc-in-brazil-468411/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Bill 191 is being fast-tracked in the lower house of Congress by lawmakers allied to the government who argue that it is needed to extract potash for fertilizer for Brazil's grain crops that depend on imports disrupted by the Ukraine war.

The legislation, backed by the powerful farm lobby, would also allow hydroelectric dams to be built&nbsp;on&nbsp;indigenous&nbsp;lands.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazilian-president-jair-bolsonaro-hospitalized-after-feeling-unwell-press-466561">Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro hospitalized after feeling unwell: press</a>

Guajajara said at a news conference APIB will&nbsp;campaign to get more&nbsp;indigenous&nbsp;people elected to Congress in this year's general election. At present, there is only one&nbsp;indigenous&nbsp;representative, Congresswoman Joenia Wapichana.

"We need to increase our voices in Congress," said Guajajara.

Guajajara said she will stand for the left-wing PSOL party representing Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city.

Hundreds of indigenous people began gathering in the Brazilian capital on Monday for a 10-day protest camp to defend their land rights and oppose a government bill in Congress that would allow mining and oil exploration on their reservations.

Hundreds of indigenous people began gathering in the Brazilian capital on Monday for a 10-day protest camp to defend their land rights and oppose a government bill in Congress that would allow mining and oil exploration on their reservations. Organizers are hoping to gather 7,000 people from 200 of Brazil's 305 tribes to press Congress not to pass legislation proposed by far-right President Jair Bolsonaro that would open their protected lands to commercial mining and agriculture. "We will not retreat," said Sonia Guajajara, head of the country's main indigenous umbrella organization, the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples (APIB) that represents most of Brazil's 900,000 indigenous people. Also read | Brazilian company using proceeds acquired by selling NFTs to preserve Amazon rainforest Warriors in feathered headdresses with their bodies painted with the black and red dyes of Amazon fruit seeds danced chanting ritual songs as they put up tents on the grassy esplanade next to government ministries in central Brasilia. Bolsonaro has said indigenous people have too much land, holding up the development of the country, and vowed not to recognize an inch more of reservation lands. Environmentalists say the reservations save the rainforest from destruction. Guajajara said 13 per cent of Brazil's territory is protected indigenous reservation land, with 98 per cent of that in the Amazon region. But 400 indigenous communities are still struggling to get their ancestral lands recognized. Watch | At least 14 dead as torrential rains wreak havoc in Brazil Bill 191 is being fast-tracked in the lower house of Congress by lawmakers allied to the government who argue that it is needed to extract potash for fertilizer for Brazil's grain crops that depend on imports disrupted by the Ukraine war. The legislation, backed by the powerful farm lobby, would also allow hydroelectric dams to be built on indigenous lands. Also read | Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro hospitalized after feeling unwell: press Guajajara said at a news conference APIB will campaign to get more indigenous people elected to Congress in this year's general election. At present, there is only one indigenous representative, Congresswoman Joenia Wapichana. "We need to increase our voices in Congress," said Guajajara. Guajajara said she will stand for the left-wing PSOL party representing Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city.

Indigenous protest camp erected in Brazilian capital to press land rights

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Indigenous protest camp erected in Brazilian capital to press land rights