‘Miners took many diseases’, says Yanomami leader after RR governor claims crisis affects only a few groups

Gabriel Abreu – From Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS – The vice president of the Hutukara Yanomami Association, Dario Kopenawa, refuted on Monday, 30, the statement of the governor of Roraima, Antonio Denarium (Progressistas), in which he said that the crisis affecting the Yanomami is not unique to the state, affects only a few groups, and has lasted for decades. The indigenous leadership points out that, after the arrival of miners in the region, several diseases have worsened the health of the indigenous people.

“The miners have let my people ‘weaken’ because the miners are bringing many diseases, like malaria, flu, Covid-19. And also alcoholism, prostitution, drugs like marijuana and cocaine. These dangers, these illicit drugs, the miners have left in the village, so our children, the fathers, the mothers have gone out of control to take care of their relatives. Full of malaria, of flu, how are the parents going to take care of their relatives?”, Kopenawa inquired.

On Saturday, father Davi Kopenawa affirmed, in an interview with Folha de São Paulo, that “the Yanomami have never died of hunger. I am here, I am 66 years old, and when I was little, nobody died of hunger. Now, mining is killing my people and also my Munduruku and Kayapo relatives. When the indigenous people get sick, they can’t work [in the field] or hunt,” said the indigenous leader.

According to Governor Denarium, “publicity has been given to a problem that has been recurring for 20 years and they are creating a fact that is not new today”. The governor also points out that the 50,000 families that depend on mining in Roraima cannot be unemployed. According to him, the lands in the state are rich in minerals and have “the entire periodic table”.

Pro-mining laws

Antonio Denarium is one of the main allies of former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL). Over the past four years, the governor has sanctioned two laws that harmed indigenous people. One of the laws prohibited law enforcement agencies and the Roraima Military Police from destroying the property of miners during operations.

Another initiative of the governor released all types of mining, in the state, with the use of mercury. The rule provided for the liberation regardless of previous research work. The Federal Supreme Court (STF) declared the laws unconstitutional and overturned the measures.

Worsening

According to the Federal Public Ministry (MPF), although there is a record of the problem of child malnutrition in Yanomami territory at least since 2009, the prosecutor Alisson Marugal recalled that the situation worsened from 2017 and reached its peak last year.

According to the prosecutor, because of illegal mining and the omission of the State between the end of 2021 and the end of last year, 300 Yanomami children, with signs of malnutrition, had to be transferred for treatment in the capital Boa Vista, registering an increase of 150%, in relation to the total transfers, accumulated over the previous four years.

Next steps

When asked about the next steps to be taken by the MPF, the Public Prosecutor Matheus de Andrade Bueno said that the protection of indigenous peoples should not be a question of government or ideology, but a humanitarian and State question. He added that the institutional action will be guided by measures of accountability for past events, in addition to monitoring and supervision of current and future public policies, so that judicial determinations are fulfilled and the rights of the Yanomami people are protected.

Amazon Fund

The Minister of Environment, Marina Silva, said on Monday, 30, that the federal government will use resources from the Amazon Fund in emergency actions to combat the humanitarian crisis experienced by indigenous Yanomami in Roraima.

The minister detailed that the resources will be committed to security actions to expel clandestine miners from the region. “These emergency actions are being treated at various levels that involve everything from the health issue, to the treatment of the serious hunger situation that is devastating these communities, to the security part.”