AMAZON INDIANS PLEAD FOR HELP AFTER “MASSACRE”
https://nativenewsonline.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Brazil-Amazon-300x191.jpg 300w" alt="" width="600" height="381"> Uncontacted tribes, like this one pictured in aerial footage seen around the world in 2011, now face genocidal attacks as Brazil’s government slashes funding for protection of their land.
© G.Miranda/FUNAI/Survival
BRAZIL – Brazilian Indians have appealed for global assistance to prevent further killings after the reported massacre of uncontacted tribespeople, and have denounced the government cuts that left their territories unprotected.
Paulo Marubo, a Marubo indigenous leader from western Brazil, said: “More attacks and killings are likely to happen. The cuts to FUNAI’s funding are harming the lives of indigenous people, especially uncontacted tribes, who are the most vulnerable.” ( FUNAI is Brazil’s indigenous affairs agency).
Mr. Marubo is the leader of Univaja, an indigenous organization defending tribal rights in the Uncontacted Frontier, the area with the highest concentration of uncontacted tribes in the world.
COIAB , the organization representing Indians across the Brazilian Amazon, denounced the massive cutbacks to FUNAI’s budget that has left many tribal territories unprotected:
“We vehemently condemn these brutal and violent attacks against these uncontacted Indians. This massacre shows just how much the rights of indigenous peoples in this country have been set back [in recent years].
“The cuts and dismantling of FUNAI are being carried out to further the interests of powerful politicians who want to continue ransacking our resources, and open up our territories for mining.”
Unconfirmed reports first emerged from the Amazon last week that up to 10 uncontacted tribal people had been killed by gold miners, and their bodies mutilated and dumped in a river.
The miners are reported to have bragged about the atrocity, whose victims included women and children, in a bar in a nearby town. The local prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation.
The alleged massacre was just the latest in a long line of previous killings of isolated Indians in the Amazon, including the infamous Haximu massacre in 1993, in which 16 Yanomami Indians were killed by a group of gold miners.
More recently, a group of Sapanawa Indians emerged in the Uncontacted Frontier, reporting that their houses had been attacked and burnt to the ground by outsiders, who had killed so many members of the community that they had not been able to bury all the bodies.
All uncontacted tribal peoples face catastrophe unless their land is protected. Survival International is campaigning to secure their land for them, and to give them the chance to determine their own futures.
Survival’s Director Stephen Corry said: “The decision by the Brazilian government to slash funding for the teams that protect uncontacted Indians’ territories was not an innocent mistake. It was done to appease the powerful interests who want to open up indigenous lands to exploit – for mining, logging and ranching. These are the people the Indians are up against, and the deaths of uncontacted tribes won’t put them off. Only a global outcry can even the odds in the Indians’ favor, and prevent more such atrocities. We know public pressure works – many Survival campaigns have succeeded in the face of similar odds.”
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Sadly Indigenous lives mean nothing. The continued murder of Indigenous people has been on going in Brazil for centuries as well as many other countries in the world.
UPDATE, two miners have been arrested on murder charges. What will happen to them, nothing if history repeats itself as it has in Brazil for decades.
Unfortunately, there are many who view indigenous people as mere meaningless creatures that deserve to be eradicated. And there are many that still think that way about Native Americans here in the USA.
While it is abhorrent that these people in Brazil are being treated as such, the mindset regarding their existence does not surprise me. I pray that there will come a day when all life on earth will have meaningful value. However, as long as there is such an extreme lust for money that day may never come.
What is happening in Brazil with the illegal gold miners is reminiscent of the ''Great California Genocide'' of Indians during the California gold rush, RW.
Indeed, Kavika. Living mot of my adult life in California I have gotten a good education on the early life in Calif from many of the various Tribes here in the state. Some of the Tribes that once existed here in the state have been completely wiped out by lust for gold, land and timber. First by the Spaniards, then by the white man. And those of many Tribes were taken into slavery by both.
It's a very old story for indigenous people all over the world. That it is still happening in this time is truly a big black eye for humanity.
It was awful. Bragging about it. Some people don't know any better, Kavika.
Some people are less than human magnoliaave, and their actions prove it.
I doubt that trying to convince a corrupt government that is most likely being paid off by the miners, loggers and ranchers will have any effect in terminating the massacre of both humans and rain forest. Perhaps the most effective deterrant would be to arm and train the natives with modern and effective armaments so that they at least have the ability to fight back. Of course, I'm sure the corrupt government would probably then just send in its air force to wipe out the tribes.
''I doubt that trying to convince a corrupt government that is most likely being paid off by the miners, loggers and ranchers will have any effect in terminating the massacre of both humans and rain forest''
Very true Buzz, it's the governments of the countries that are corrupt beyond description and think nothing of killing the Indigenous people.
There are reports that some of the Indigenous tribes are fighting back and about 6 months ago a tribe killed 4 illegal goldminers.
Sounds like the conquistadors are still seeking El Dorado. Are we in the 1500's still?
In some countries they have never gotten out of the 1500's ausmth.
The ''gold fever'' has resulted in the destruction of many tribes throughout the world. Here in the U.S. it was the ''Great California Genocide'' during the CA gold rush. Hundreds of thousands of Indians were killed in the lust for gold.
It's what you don't read about in history books, but it happened.
It's what you don't read about in history books, but it happened.
It wasn't in the hs books but I was a history minor in college and we covered it there.
Did the history book tell you that the biggest debt that CA had at that time was to pay for the scalps/heads of Indians killed by ''Indian Hunters''?
It didn't but I wouldn't be surprised if it did. More of man's inhumanity toward man.
Dear Friend Kavika: Even at this late time in world history the sad truth is that spilling indigenous blood is not vigorously prosecuted the way it shoud be.
Shy of doing that, there is no disincentive to place material wealth acquisition over innocent human life protection.
What does that say about us being civilized?
Peace, Abundant Blessings and Concern for Human Life and Dignity Where Ever It Exists.
Enoch.
''What does that say about us being civilized? ''
It says a lot, and none of it good niijii.
It proves that we are not at all civilized. This is horrible! What is wrong with those people, (the miners)?
Do you remember that Sean Connery movie Medicine Man? One of my favorites... I've always wanted to go there, where he was, but the heat and humidity would kill me off in a heartbeat. Maybe they could just post me as a guard...
I can visualize you with a M-16 standing guard. Old ''Hawkeye'' will take care of the bastards.
I would help them if I could...
I know that you would Dowser.
Thanks, Kavika. I mean well, anyway. I would defend them if I could do it!
I will be sending many prayers to the Creator to hold them in His loving hands and protect them against the evil that threatens their existence as a people, and His children.
They can use all the prayers that they can receive RW...