Many threats have been devastating the Amazon, affect the nature and wildlife as well as the people living there that call it home. In response to this, representatives of 14 indigenous groups and four riverside reserves in the Amazon’s Xingu river basin met in the Kubenkokre village. They have put aside long-running ethnic conflicts, to join forces against Jair Bolsonaro’s administration.
The forest fires (which are thought to be deliberately started and are raging on for months on end) have been linked to Jair Bolsonaro’s government for encouraging people to clear the land for farming, logging, and mining. Critics claim it is his greed for money that is destroying the Amazon, and along with it the homes and lives of 1 million Indians in hundreds of indigenous communities.
The Kayapós group, one of the largest communities in the river basin, hosted this historic meeting. The Kayapós even invited representatives of the Panara people to the meeting, which is a really big deal as the two groups have fought violently in the past.
Back in 1968 the Kayapós massacred the Panaras during a fight in which they used firearms even though the Panaras were armed only with arrows. Sinku Panara, one of the Panara leaders, said:
We killed the Kayapó, the Kayapó killed us… but we didn’t know what was happening… we didn’t know about that threat yet. Then we cool our heads, reconcile, talk to each other again and we will not fight anymore… Because there is a common interest for us to fight together, so that non-Indians don’t kill us all.
To strengthen their collective political voice, the participating communities have decided to form a representative council. Mudjire Kayapó, one of the leaders present, told BBC Brazil:
Today we have only one enemy, which is the Brazilian government, the president of Brazil, and the invasions of non-indigenous people. We have internal fights, but to fight this government, we join.
Bolsonaro campaigned on bringing development to the rainforest. When he stepped into office it was a time of great struggle for Brazil due to prolonged economic stagnation. Hence the allure of the Amazon growing despite scientists warning that development would accelerate rising deforestation. With many of the people anxious from money problems, he sounded like a savior, not like a helping hand in the destruction of the world.
However, seeing the horrors of what development to the Amazon means, many people have changed their minds. The president’s poll ratings have fallen rapidly since the Amazon fires took hold. According to the Datafolha polling institute – the number of people who think the far-right leader is doing a “bad or terrible” job rose to 38% from 33% in July, showing that his government’s handling of the surging fires is dividing the country.
Aside from the fires, Bolsonaro has also decried the fact that 15% of Brazil’s territory is reserved for indigenous tribes. “Let’s integrate these citizens and bring value to all Brazilians,” he tweeted.
