Brazil to rein in foreign groups in Amazon

By Reese Ewing

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil's military will regulate environmental, religious and other foreign groups working in the Amazon region under a law being drafted to assert sovereignty over the often lawless rainforest, the defense minister said on Thursday.

"There is this concept that the Amazon is some free place for anyone, but the Amazon is sovereign Brazilian territory," Defense Minister Nelson Jobim said at a media briefing.

Many international non-governmental organizations, such as the environmental group Greenpeace, have offices in the Amazon region and campaign to halt the destruction of the rainforest by loggers and agricultural interests.

Human rights groups work to help Indians and peasants in an vast area where violent land seizures are common.

The 7 million sq km (1.7 billion acre) Amazon Basin is home to an estimated one-third of all species on Earth. But Brazil's booming economy, soy farming and cattle ranching has put pressure on land prices and fueled deforestation.

Justice Minister Tarso Genro said on Wednesday that many NGOs were involved in bio-piracy and were trying to influence Indian culture to expropriate land.

The justice and defense ministries plan to send a new Foreigners Bill to Congress in June to curb NGOs from serving as fronts for illegal activities in the Amazon.

It would require foreign individuals and groups to get permission from the Justice Ministry and register with the regional military command.