Mercury

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Kayapó and Panará, Once rivals, United> against the policy of the Brazilian government

The World 's attention focused on the fires That raged in the Amazon rain forest in Brazil, Indigenous people who live there, have warned That the policy of President Jair Bolsonaro , pose a greater threat to their existence.

Rival groups come together now to Fight the government's plans for the region is their home, such as Bbc News Brasil's Joao Fellet reports from the Amazon village Kubenkokre.

dozens of Indigenous people in this remote part of Northern Brazil, in the last month after traveling for days by bus and boat.

The Meeting brought previously Sworn Enemies , such as the Kayapó and Panará.

The two groups were At War for decades, raiding each other's villages in tit-for-tat attacks. The parties came to a brutal end in 1968, as a attack of the Kayapó, who came armed with rifles, left 26 Panará, who only had arrows to defend themselves, dead.

tensions remained high for years, but after these are collected in Kubenkokre, the Two Sides have now overcome their dislike for a bigger target.

"Today, we have declared only one enemy, the government of Brazil, The President of Brazil, and these invading [Indigenous territories]," Kayapó leader Mudjire.

"We have internal struggles, but we have come together, against this government. "

His words echoed through the Panará leader Sinku: "We have killed the Kayapó the Kayapó have killed us, we're at peace and not Fight anymore. "

"We have a common interest, to stand together, so That the non-Indigenous people do not kill all of us," he said, referring to the dangers by The Arrival of miners and loggers to carry out illegal activities in your area.

'69,000 football fields lost'

More than 800,000 Indigenous people live in 450 demarcated areas for the Indigenous population in Brazil is about 12% of the Brazilian land area. Most are located in the Amazon region and some groups That still live completely isolated and without external contact.

President Jair Bolsonaro , who took office in January, has the question of whether this demarcated territories, which are enshrined in Brazil's Constitution , would continue to should give, with the argument That their size in proportion to The Number of Indigenous people who live there.

Its plans to open these areas for Mining , forestry and agriculture are controversial, and any changes in your status need to be done before the adoption by the Brazilian Congress .

Indigenous groups performed traditional dances and songs during The Meeting ,

But it is something That the concerns of Indigenous leaders gathered in Kubenkokre. "Other presidents had more interest for our country. [Mr Bolsonaro] is not worried about this, he wants to put an end to what our people and how we live," explains Panará leader Sinku.

"That 's why I is with a Heavy Heart , the, why we are here, to talk to each other. "

In some defined areas, loggers and miners are already at work, after some local Indigenous leader, the permission granted to them.

the Indigenous leaders Bepto Xikrin said the collection, such as about 400 miners and lumberjacks, the Bacajá area had been illegal since the beginning of the year. He said That the members of his Indigenous group were startled and did not know what to do.

And to a network of 24 environmental and Indigenous groups, speech Xingu+, corresponds to a total of 69,000 football fields alone in the Xingu river region., was destroyed between January and June of this year

Kayapó leader Doto Takakire shows some of the destroyed areas in the Xingu basin

Heavy machines caused great damage and the fresco, and Branco rivers, through the region contaminated with Mercury .

Kayapó leader Doto Takakire said illegal Mining have been further strengthened by the fact That it is often with impunity.

The Number of fines handed out has fallen by the Brazilian Institute for the environment and natural Renewable resources (Ibama) for environmental violations since President Bolsonaro took office on 1. January.

Mr. Bolsonaro has said in The Past , to limit and the penalties imposed for the damage to the Amazon-and many make The President of the Ibama is currently weak position.

"We don't repeat The Past "

At The Meeting discussed took place in Portugal and Kayapó - participants of projects for their region, economic developments, do not contribute to deforestation, such as arts and crafts and the processing of local fruits.

"I'm afraid] on the trees, the water, the fish, the non-Indigenous people who want to in our country," said Sinku. "I don't want to pollute the water of poison, with [toxic products] Mining . That 's why I'm here. "

the Indigenous groups, which have allowed the miners to their country, an omission That described some of those present as a missed opportunity were not invited.

"There is no one here who wants to agribusiness or Mining in their villages, so we are just talking to us?" Kayapó leader Oé asked.

The fire, the burn was on the Amazon were not a big issue at The Meeting , in part, because they occurred mostly outside of the protected Indigenous reserves but also because the gathered look at illegal Mining and logging, as more pressing threats.

"We will not repeat The Past ," Kayapó leader Kadkure completed. "From now on we will be together. "

BBC crossing Divides

to bring A season of stories about the people together in a fragmented world.

amazon rainforest, brazil, deforestation of the amazon rainforest, jair bolsonaro

Source of news: bbc.com