Illegal Logging Could Threaten Uncontacted Tribes

By Patrick Vanderpool
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

Recently photographed uncontacted tribe in Western Brazil (photo courtesy of CNN)
Recently photographed uncontacted tribe in Western Brazil (photo courtesy of CNN)

BRASILIA. Brazil – An indigenous rights organization has released what it says are photos of an uncontacted tribe in Brazil that is threatened by the logging across the border. Survival International, the group responsible for the photographs, released them in hopes that it would draw public attention to the illegal logging activities that threaten the tribe’s land.

The photographs show members of an uncontacted Brazilian tribe that is likely to get drawn into conflicts with Peruvian tribes who are fleeing their homes because of the logging. One photo shows five tribe members, some in red tribal paint, standing in front of a hut and looking upward. One man is holding a bow, and another, younger person, holds a machete. Foods including bananas, papayas and cassava can be identified near the tribe members.

In a written statement, Stephen Curry, a Survival International Director, stated that “the illegal loggers will destroy this tribe.”  “It’s vital that the Peruvian government stop them before time runs out. The people in these photos are self-evidently healthy and thriving. What they need from us is their territory protected, so that they can make their own choices about their future.”

Loggers in Peru are forcing indigenous tribes from Peru into Brazil, where, according to Survival International, “the two groups are likely to come into conflict.” Several nongovernmental organizations have urged Peru to act against the logging for years, but those groups have say that not enough had been done yet.

For years, Peruvian officials have denied the existence of these indigenous peoples while they continue to allow exploration of the lands for resources. One advocate for indigenous tribes stated that the publication of these photos “is necessary to reaffirm that these peoples exist, so we support the use of images that prove these facts.”

For more information, please see:

New York Times – Isolated Amazon Tribe Threatened by Logging, Group Says – 13 February 2011

Boston Globe – Uncontacted Tribes in the Amazon – 12 February 2011

CNN – Group Releases Photos on Uncontacted Tribe to Raise Awareness – 1 February 2011

Author: Impunity Watch Archive