During a lecture in one USA University, the former governor of Brasilia , Cristovam Buarque, was questioned his thoughts concerning the internationalization of Amazonia forest.
The young American man, introduced the question saying that he was expecting an answer from one humanist and not from one Brazilian.

This was the answer given by Mr. Cristovam Buarque :

In fact, as a Brazilian I would simply talk against the internationalization of Amazonia forest. However our governors have not the due care with this patrimony, it is ours.

As humanist, feeling the risk of the environmental degradation suffered by the Amazonia region, I can imagine its internationalization, as also the internalization of all the other things which have importance for the humanity.

If Amazonia, under an humanist ethics, must to be internationalized, we will also internationalize the oil reserves around the world. The oil is so important for the welfare of humanity as much as Amazonia for our future. Despite of that, the owners of the oil reserves feel themselves with the right of increase or not its price. In the same way, the financial capital of the rich countries should be internationalized.

If Amazonia is a reserve for all human beings, it cannot be burned by the desire of one owner, or one country. To burn Amazonia forest is as serious as the unemployment provoqued by the arbitrary decisions of the global players. We cannot allow that the financial reserves work for burning entire countries in the voluptuousness of the speculation.

Even before of Amazonia forest, I would like to see the internationalization of all big museuns of the world. The Louvre must not belong only to France. Each of the world is a guardian of the most beautiful pieces produced by the human kind.One cannot let this cultural patrimony, as the natural Amazonic patrimony, be manipulated and destroyed by the desire of an owner or of a country. It was not long time ago, that a milionaire Japanese, decided to be buried together with him a picture of a great maester. Before of that, the picture should be made internationalized.

During this meeting, the United Nations are realizing a Forum of the Millenium, but presidents of some countries had difficulties to be present because of embarrassment in the USA frontiers. Because of that, I think that New York, as the headquarter of United Nations, must to be internationalized. At least Manhattan should belong to the whole humanity. As well as Paris, Veneze, Rome, London, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, Recife, each town with its specific beauty, its history of the world, must belong to the entire world.

If the USA want to internationalize Amazonia forest, because of the risk of let it in Brazilians hands, we all will internationalizate the nuclear arsenal of USA. Even because the Americans already demonstrate that they are able to use those weapons, provoquing a destruction thousands of times bigger than the sorrofull forest fires made in Brazilian forests.

In their debates, the actual candidates to the USA presidence have being defending the idea of internationalizate the forest reserves of the world in exchange of the external debit.

We start using this debit to guarantee that each child of the world have possibility to eat and go to school. We will internationalizate the children, treating them, all of them, does not matter in which country they were born, as a patrimony which deserves care of the entire world.

Even more than what Amazonia forest deserves. When the managers treat the poor children of the world as an humanity patrimony, they will not allow them to work when they should be studing, that they die when they should live.

As an humanist, I accept to defend the internationalization of the world. But while the world treat me as Brazilian, I will fight for that Amazonia forest continues to be ours. Only ours!

Ps. This matter was published in the New York times /Washington Post Today and in the main newspapers of Europe and Japan, in August 2001.