In 1972, the Paraguayan Roman Catholic Church protested against the massacre of Indians in Paraguay. This was followed by further protests from Paraguayan intellectuals. These protests led to the removal of Jesus de Pereira, one of the executors of the official Ache policy. Thus, the critics were appeased. Since the beginning of 1973, new protests have been heard from people who fear that the Indian situation has not really changed. There are clear indications that private killing raids against the Ache have not ceased. Life in the forests is dangerous for the Ache, since "groups of hunters, wood cutters and palmito collectors conduct real punitive raids against them". Ache Indians continue to serve as slave labour at various places. Since the Ache reservation was entrusted to the North American mission "To the New Tribes" in 1972, the material standard of the reservation Indians has risen. However, their spiritual situation is questionable. The missionaries "systematically oppose the few remaining customs and ceremonies, which they regard as pagan". The methods used to "attract" Indians to the reservation are also questionable. The Indians show an obvious tendency to leave the reservation as soon as possible. Jesus de Pereira has been permitted to settle further north and to attempt to reconstruct his old Ache camp, now no longer the official reservation. Several international organizations have devoted much effort to the Ache's situation. Today, there has only been very slight improvement in the situation of less than 50 Indians, at least materially. (Author/NQ)