Threats against the Yanomami

For many decades the mineral rich and fertile territories of these people have been abused for timber production, gold mining and other developments. The invasion of this land is one of today’s greatest environmental challenges. This area is home to half of Brazil’s indigenous population.  According to Greenpeace International, the Amazon is considered to be one of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth. Deforestation, mining, wildfires, and construction work not only effect the survival of the wildlife in the forests but also the people who live there.

Recent threats to the Yanomami people are gold miners. There are currently 1,000 gold miners working illegally on Yanomami land. These miners are transmitting diseases to these people and polluting their water and forests. The Yanomami’s health is declining and medical care is not reaching them fast enough. The Brazilian Congress is currently working on a bill that will permit large scale mining in indigenous territories. If this bill is passed it will be extremely harmful to the Yanomami people.

The Yanomami people have not been asked about their view about what is happening and have little to no information about what mining is doing to their environment. Davi Kopenawa, a spokesperson for the Yanomami people and President of Hutukara Yanomami Association, says that the Yanomami people do not accept this law nor do they want Congress to approve it. They feel like the mining is destroying nature and that their land should be respected because it is part of their heritage. The Yanomami have said that they’ve seen “uncontacted Yanomami” who they call Moxateteu. The Moxateteu are believed to be the illegal gold miners living on Yanomami territory.

 

“The Yanomami”

http://www.survivalinternational.org/tribes/yanomami