Awá tribe's desperate call to evict loggers and Russia’s indigenous organization reopens

 

Awá tribe's desperate call to evict loggers

In a rare video appeal, the Awá have called on Brazil's Minister of Justice to act now and protect their land.
© Survival

 

Earth’s most threatened tribe has sent an urgent appeal to Brazil’s government to evict invaders from their forest, as Brazil soccer fans lend their support for the tribe. 

Despite a federal judge’s ruling ordering Brazil’s authorities to remove all invaders on Awá land by the end of March, not a single person has yet been evicted. The Awá are becoming increasingly desperate as illegal loggers close in on them and settlers encroach on their land. 

Brazil's soccer fans brandishing the awáIcon, which reads 'Brazil: Save the Awá'.
© Survival

In a rare video appeal to Brazil’s Minister of Justice, an Awá man said, ‘I am angry, very angry… The loggers come here and chop down the trees …  The Minister of Justice in Brasília can help us here, now. He must help us now!’

Amiri, another Awá man, told Survival International, ‘For a long time, we have been asking for the invaders to be evicted. It has to happen now. They must be removed. The loggers have already destroyed many areas; we refuse to lose all our land.’

Pire’i Ma’a

An urgent message from the Awá tribe

On Monday night, soccer fans attending Brazil’s international match with Russia in London demonstrated their support for the Awá by brandishing the awáIcon, which reads ‘Brazil: Save the Awá’.

One fan said to Survival, ‘I can’t believe this is happening in front of our government’s eyes. I will tell all my friends in Brazil to help and support Survival’s campaign to save the Awá!’

Chelsea and England star Frank Lampard is the Awá's newest celebrity 'supporter'!
© Survival

Nearly 50,000 letters have been sent to the Brazilian government urging it to evict the invaders since Survival launched its urgent campaign for Earth’s most threatened tribe in April 2012.

Survival’s Director Stephen Corry said today, ‘It is a scandal that the Awá have been driven to such desperation. As they hear the chainsaws day and night in their forest, it seems to them that the judge’s ruling and the government’s promises have been forgotten. The Awá need action, now.’

Read this online: http://www.survivalinternational.org/news/9063

Success: Russia’s indigenous organization reopens

 

An Evenk boy with reindeer in Siberia.
© Raipon/Survival

 

RAIPON, the organization representing Russia’s indigenous peoples, has been given permission by the Russian authorities to reopen. It was forced to close by Russia’s Ministry of Justice in November last year.

The official reason given for the shutdown was that the organization’s statutes were not in line with federal law. However, many believed the closure was an attempt to quell opposition to the exploitation of Russia’s natural resources in Siberia, and was part of a crackdown on organizations with foreign links.

RAIPON was formed in 1990 and represents more than 270,000 indigenous people. It has given a voice to tribal people in some of the most remote and inhospitable places on earth.

Survival, along with other organizations, protested to the Russian government against the closure, calling for RAIPON to be allowed to continue its work representing Russia’s indigenous people.

In an open letter sent to Survival, RAIPON’s Vice President, Rodion Sulyandziga wrote, ‘I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all those who have been with us during these difficult days and months, who have expressed solidarity and civic engagement, who have been able to understand and have climbed with us to new heights, who did not keep silent and did not turn their backs. Thank you for your involvement and solidarity. This is a collective achievement’.

Read this online: http://www.survivalinternational.org/news/9069

 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 

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