THOUSANDS of indigenous people have marched in Brazil’s capital, calling on the government to officially recognise lands they have lived on for centuries and to protect territories from criminal activities such as illegal mining.

With posters bearing slogans such as: “The future is indigenous,” they walked towards Brasilia’s Three Powers Square, where Congress, the Supreme Court and the Planalto presidential palace are located.

A group of leaders entered the palace to talk to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, while others shouted: “Our rights are not negotiable.”

Last week, he U-turned on the creation of four indigenous territories, citing opposition from state governors.

Some tribes also protested against plans to build a 590-mile railway to transport soya beans from the central state of Mato Grosso to ports along the River Tapajos, a large Amazon tributary.

Indigenous leaders from the Kayapo, Panara and Munduruku tribes said they hadn’t been adequately consulted and feared that the new infrastructure would encourage deforestation.

Thursday’s rally marked the culmination of the 20th Free Land Indigenous Camp in Brasilia’s main esplanade, which the president was not invited to visit, unlike in the two previous years.

“There is political instability, disrespect and mistrust,” Rio Negro Federation of Indigenous Organisations head Marivelton Bare told the Associated Press news agency during the march.

“We expected a lot from the government, but it’s doing very little. We knew that Congress would be hostile, but not as much as it has been. And in Congress, the government is using the indigenous and environmental issues as bargaining chips.”

Since Lula returned to power in January last year, his administration has created 10 indigenous territories, which indigenous leaders say is not enough.

Their demands face mounting opposition from the powerful agribusiness sector, which has the support of hundreds of Congress members and several state governors.