The deadline has passed for non-indigenous residents to leave a reservation in the northern region of Roramia in Brazil.

A Supreme Court ruling in March declared that the area should remain solely for the use of the 20,000 indigenous people currently residing there. Around 30 other families had been living there and working as rice farmers and farm workers.

The non-indigenous families who refused to leave will now be met by the 300 police and soldiers entering the area with the purpose of removing them from the 1.7 million hectare reservation. Authorities say force will only be used against any remaining rice producers and farm workers if they are met with violent resistance.

Some former residents have been criticised for destroying crops and property as they left.

The 30 families say they are victims of “legalised robbery” and have lost their homes and jobs within less than two months. The government maintains they will be properly compensated.

The decision to evict the residents was seen as a historic victory for the indigenous communities in both South America and Brazil. It has set an important precedent for future court cases and was very well received by the indigenous community in Roramia.

The operation was surrounded in controversy as the governor of Roramia, Jose de Anchieta Jr, was accused of racism when the proceedings began. He also allegedly ignored the rights of the indigenous communities in the region.

Mr De Anchieta Jr admitted later that the government had not previously provided the people on the reservation with sufficient local resources. He promised to rectify this situation but warned that the operation to ensure the Supreme Court ruling has been obeyed could take some days to complete.