News

Source : Terra
After a series of discussions over five months, nine communities from Chile approved the instalment of a Ministry of Indigenous Communities in addition to multiple indigenous community councils according to official sources on Sunday.

Source : espanol.cri.cn
The Ministry of Social Development will commence finalization of lawsuits to be debated during first half of this year.

Nine communities from Chile approved President Michelle Bachelet’s government proposal for an Indigenous Ministry and community board last Sunday.

Source : confirmado.net
In 2015 the Yasuní association will continue its fight against oil extraction in the Yasuni National Park ITT according to Benito Bonilla, spokesman for the association, reiterating that there are no appropriate environmental conditions or techniques in order to exploit the Amazon reserve.

Source : Brookings.edu
The United Nations climate change negotiations live to fight another day, and Latin American countries have played important roles in their advance. The results of the Lima climate conference, or “COP20,” last December are generally considered a success—albeit a very limited one.

Source : Xingu Vivo
Local inhabitants and tradesmen in the city’s central district still have no idea how much they will get for their houses and establishments, a long way from the stilt huts which symbolize the affected people in Norte Energia Consortium’s advertisements.

Statement of support from Chief Raoni Metuktire to the Munduruku people and other indigenous and ribeirinhos peoples fighting future powerplants on the Tapajós and Teles Pires Rivers

With this statement, I, Chief Raoni Metuktire, Chief of the Mebengokre (Kayapo) people, wish to bring my support to the Munduruku people and to the other indigenous and ribeirhinos peoples involved in the fight against the power plants on the Tapajos and Teles Pires, and especially to the caravan being organized on November 26th and 27th along the Tapajós River.

Source : theecologist.org
Brazil's newly elected Dilma Roussef is committed to completing the disastrous Belo Monte dam, writes Helle Abelvik-Lawson. Worse, she looks certain to press ahead with the industrialisation of the Amazon, with 61 hydroprojects in the pipeline. And new scientific findings about the massive climate impacts of tropical forest dams are not about to stop her.

English language version introduced by Paul Watson (Sea Shepherd)

Launched in May 2014, Chief Raoni's 'S.O.S. Amazônia Tour' has already stopped to Brasil, France, Monaco, England and Norway... This tour coincides with the 25th anniversary of the world tour Chiefs Raoni Metuktire and Megaron Txucarramãe did with singer Sting to raise awareness about the Amazon deforestation drama.

Direct link to Planète Amazone's Youtube channel

Source : The Globe And Mail
A Brazilian court has suspended the environmental and provisional licences of Toronto-based gold miner Belo Sun Mining Corp., putting a significant new obstacle in the way of the company’s plans to develop Brazil’s largest gold mine on a tributary of the Amazon river.

Planet Amazon warmly thanks all participants to this campaign for calling out Brazilian authorities. Stay tuned, as the fight to preserve the rights of indigenous peoples on their land continues.

A very worried Cacique Raoni contacted us in December to launch a campaign calling for citizens of the world to fight against the PEC-215. This is an amendment to the Brazilian constitution brought in by powerful Brazilian landlords, and submitted to a parliamentary vote in December.

   Join a team which supports the conservation of the Amazon, the lungs of the planet.

FIFA FOOTBALL WORLD CUP, Brazil 12th June - 13th July 2014
Citizens of the world, help us achieve victory for the planet and victory for the Peoples of the Amazon, which watch over her, JOIN THE 'S.O.S. AMAZÔNIA' (green hand) et 'STOP BELO MONTE!' (red hand) TEAMS.
Wear, use and spread these two emblems, everywhere you can, to break the wall of silence.

MANIFESTO OF THE KAYAPÓ PEOPLE – Kokraimoro village, 5th June 2013.

We, 400 chiefs and leaders of the Mebengokre/Kayapó representing all communities of ratified territories belonging to the Kayapo: Kayapo, Menkragnoti, Badjonkôre, Bau, Capoto/Jarina, Xicrin, Catete and Las Casas, located in the states of Pará and Mato Grosso, with the support of chiefs of the Tapayuna, Juruna and Panara people and neighbours, met in the village Kokraimoro-PA, right bank of the Xingu River, from the 3rd to the 5th of June 2013. We communicate to the Brazilian government and national society that we reject the plans of the Federal Government and Congress to reduce our rights especially rights over our traditional lands and natural resources.

Source : Amazon Watch
Brasilia, Brazil – Deeply frustrated with the Brazilian government's unwavering attitude about building large-scale hydroelectric dams, indigenous protesters refused to leave Brasilia following a high-level meeting this week.   

Source : CIMI / Xingu Vivo
On Monday, 27 May 2013, the indigenous movement "Ocupação Belo Monte" (occupation of Belo Monte), which opposes the construction of large hydroelectric dams, especially the most infamous of them, returned to occupy the Belo Monte site. This past May 10th, the indigenous delegates who form the movement had left peacefully the building site that they have been occupying for eight days. Despite the government promises, they have not been received in audience to talk about the projects of dams that are planned and ongoing in Amazonia. The movement's new letter (the seventh) explains the reasons that lead to the resumption of the occupation, enjoins the government to respect the law and asks the president to come and talk about the issue.

Source : theecologist.org
The Peruvian Government is yet again failing to protect the rights of its Indigenous citizens, and if history is anything to go by it is no wonder that the Matses tribe fear for themselves and other nearby tribal peoples. Sarah Gilbertz reports.

Source : Reuters
GUATEMALA CITY - Former Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt was found guilty on Friday of genocide and crimes against humanity during the bloodiest phase of the country's 36-year civil war and was sentenced to 80 years in prison. Hundreds of people who were packed into the courtroom burst into applause, chanting, "Justice!" as Rios Montt received a 50-year term for the genocide charge and an additional 30 years for crimes against humanity.

Source : ipsnews.net
PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil , Mar 1 2013 (IPS) - March will be a key month for defining the future of the Inter-American human rights system, which has come under fire from a number of countries in the region. Mar. 22 is the deadline for members of the Organisation of American States (OAS) to present proposals for reforming the regional justice system created in 1948 with the purpose of promoting and protecting the basic rights enshrined in the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Source : Xingu Vivo Para Sempre
On the International Press Freedom Day, three reporters have been prevented from providing coverage of the occupation of the hydroelectric plant's building site of Belo Monte on Friday, May 3rd, in the State of Pará. Two of them have been expelled by about a hundred federal police officers, the Shock Troops, the ROTAM (Rondas Ostensivas Táticas Metropolitanas, Military Police Force units in Brazil), and the National Police Force. A third one has been fined 1000 Brazilian Reais -approximately $500. An activist has also been expelled from the building site.

Source : Instituto Socioambiental (ISA)
76-year-old King Harald V of Norway accepted Davi Yanomami's invitation and spent four days in the Watoriki community (Demini) which is located 150 km west of Boa Vista (Roraima). He enjoyed the convivial experience which he defined as something "wonderful".