Amazon rainforest destroyed by gold-mining militias, indigenous people shot
Many ethnic minorities live in the Amazon River Basin in Brazil, but in recent years illegal mining of gold has continued unabated.
Gold Mining and Violence in the Amazon Rainforest (English)-YouTube
The Amazon rainforest is one of the most biodiverse regions on earth and is crucial in regulating the planet's climate. The most protected areas of the forest are inhabited by indigenous peoples.
However, the soaring gold prices due to the policy of President Jair Bolsonaro, who took office in 2019, has raised the issue that Amazon is being ravaged by illegal miners.
President Bolsonaro has been criticized by journalist Dom Phillips that ``President Bolsonaro's policies are driving Amazon into a crisis,'' but he denies that there is no such fact.
The Yanomami, an indigenous people, are directly opposed to illegal mining.
On May 10, 2021, a mass shooting occurred in a village along the Urarakela River where the Yanomami live. It was the crew of the boat floating on the river who shot the gun.
A member of the gang PCC based in Sao Paulo city is on this boat. They are armed and illegal miners in the Amazon, and often navigate the Urarachera River.
Looking at aerial photographs, we can already see traces of logging along the Urarakera River, apart from villages.
In the photo below, the white part is the area where it was cut down, and it has grown more than four times from February to May 2020.
Here are some local photos. It seems that the area around the planned gold mining site is being felled at random.
In addition, it has been confirmed that toxic substances derived from the mine are being discharged into the river.
Since air is the only means of transportation for the giant Amazon, except for the river, an unauthorized runway has been built along the river, and further deforestation seems to be spreading around this runway. The area mined in 2022 will be 230 hectares (about 2.3 square km).
About 30 years ago the Yanomami were officially allowed to live in the Amazon, and since then they have protected the local nature. However, the land protected by the Yanomami tribe has been destroyed with tremendous force, and 1000 hectares (about 10 square km) of forests have been cut down since President Bolsonaro took office. Brazil's federal prosecutors have asked the Bolsonaro administration to strictly control gold mining areas, but President Bolsonaro has not given a clear answer.
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