Mining devastated four fields a day on indigenous lands – 03/10/2024 – Mônica Bergamo

A study carried out by Greenpeace Brazil reveals that illegal mining devastated, in 2023 alone, an area of ​​1,410 hectares if you add up the occurrences in the Yanomami, Kayapó and Munduruku lands. The volume would correspond to four football fields being opened per day, according to the organization.

The most alarming situation is found in the Kayapó Indigenous Land, in Pará, which lost 1,019 hectares due to exploratory activity. Satellite images would indicate that the eastern and northeastern parts of the territory would be the most devastated, with four villages already being directly affected.

Next comes the Munduruku Indigenous Land, also located in the state of Pará, with 15 villages besieged by illegal mining. In this case, a drop from 430 hectares devastated in 2022 to 152 last year was identified. The proximity of the miners, however, is considered alarming.

The Yanomami territory had 238 hectares open, despite intense action since the Lula government declared a health emergency there — the images indicate a peak in mining activity in January, a drastic drop in February, after state intervention, and new peaks in March and October.

“We have read and heard a lot about the government’s efforts to combat illegal mining in the Yanomami Indigenous Land, however, we need to remember that the territories of the Kayapó and Munduruku peoples have been greatly harmed and it is necessary to reinforce operations and inspection work there too “, says Greenpeace Brasil spokesperson, Jorge Eduardo Dantas. “Political will alone is not enough.”

The Greenpeace Brasil study considers, on the other hand, that socio-environmental problems are not always proportional to the size of the mining area, and that conflicts within the territory must also be considered, as occurs in the area inhabited by the Yanomami.

“Every hour that passes with miners inside indigenous territories means more people are threatened, a portion of rivers are destroyed and more biodiversity is lost. We need, for now, an Amazon free from mining”, says Dantas.

DEDICATION

The lawyer, writer, playwright and columnist for Sheet Becky S. Korich received guests for the launch of her first book, “Chaos and Love”. The event took place at Livraria da Vila in the Pátio Higienópolis shopping mall, in São Paulo, last week. Infectious disease doctor David Uip was there. Visual artist Isabelle Tuchband also attended.

_{with BIANKA VIEIRA, KARINA MATIAS It is MANOELLA SMITH; collaborated LUANA LISBON}

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