Representatives of the alliance of the Kayapó, Yanomami and Munduruku peoples will speak at the 17th session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP)
From July 8th to 12th, members of the Alliance in Defense of Territories, formed in 2021 by the Kayapó, Yanomami and Munduruku peoples – the three most affected by illegal mining in Brazil –, will be in Geneva, Switzerland, to denounce violations of their territories in 17th session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP), from the United Nations (UN).
Doto Takak Ire, Kayapó leader of Menkragnoti Indigenous Land e president of the Kabu Institute and Júlio Ye'kwana, president of the Wanasseduume Ye'kwana Association (SEDUUME), of Yanomami Indigenous Land, will speak in the main plenary on the mornings of July 8th and 9th, during discussions on Items 3 and 5 of the schedulerespectively.
On July 10th, at 15pm local time, the parallel event “Indigenous Peoples against gold mining in the Brazilian Amazon” will take place, organized by the Alliance in Defense of Territories and the Amazon Cooperation Network (RCA), with support from the Instituto Socioambiental ( ISA), Greenpeace, Instituto Iepé, Rainforest Foundation Norway and Instituto Raça e Igualdade.
The opening will be made by Todd Howland, from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and will feature the participation of the Kayapó and Ye'kwana leaders, Manoela Pessoa De Miranda, the Secretariat of the Minamata Convention and Anexa Alfred Cunningham, from EMRIP.
Problems generated by mining
According to the dossier "Terra Rasgada: how mining advances in the Brazilian Amazon", prepared by the Alliance in Defense of Territories, mining in territories belonging to the Kayapós, Yanomami and Munduruku peoples increased by 495% between 2010 and 2020.
In 2023, illegal gold exploration in Indigenous Lands in the Brazilian Amazon resulted in the daily deforestation of an area equivalent to four football fields. 95% of illegal mining is concentrated on the lands of the Kayapó, Munduruku and Yanomami peoples, totaling 26,7 hectares destroyed by mid-2024.
Switzerland and Canada are the main importers of gold from Brazil. In 2022, indigenous leaders asked that Swiss refineries committed not to buy gold from Indigenous Lands, however, the lack of efficient tracking mechanisms hampers inspection.
Despite the change of government in Brazil, the political situation is still unfavorable due to the advancement of anti-indigenous agendas in the National Congress. Meanwhile, the lives and health of indigenous people remain at risk, affected by mining invasions – often linked to drug trafficking and criminal factions –, which result in violence, the spread of diseases, contamination of rivers and damage to subsistence activities.
Community searches Yanomami e Munduruk show high levels of mercury contamination, indicating a risk of Minamata disease – a neurological disease caused by severe mercury poisoning. In 2023, it was decreed health crisis in the Yanomami TI, but cases of malaria and child malnutrition remain alarming, demanding structural actions for indigenous health.
Recommendations to the Brazilian government
In Geneva, the Kayapó and Ye'kwana leaders will request that the Special Rapporteurs and other UN Special Procedures commit to defending the rights of indigenous peoples and make recommendations to the Brazilian government.
The recommendations are in addition to those already made by Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) of December 12, 2023 (provisional measures), on the three peoples.
- Complete the de-intrusion of the Yanomami TI on an emergency basis and implement the de-intrusion of the Munduruku and Kayapó TIs;
- Present permanent territorial protection plans for all territories, which include: (i) implementation and/or recovery of territorial protection bases; (ii) effective control of airspace; (iii) regular remote monitoring of deforestation within Indigenous Lands, with rapid response from command and control bodies to new alerts; (iv) training of indigenous agents to contribute to territorial protection; (v) promotion of regular patrols in areas under pressure; (vi) guaranteeing the safety of indigenous leaders and organizations threatened by miners.
- Ensure the expansion of research into mercury contamination in people and the fish we consume; the rapid development of a monitoring and treatment plan for infected people; and a river decontamination plan;
- Develop and implement mechanisms to improve transparency and control of the gold production chain, both within the national territory and in export destinations;
- Control the illegal sale of mercury, especially at the country’s borders;
- Control the sale of machines used in mining, such as backhoes, and require manufacturers to track their use;
- Complete the demarcation of the IT Sawre Muybu, of the Munduruku People. All demarcation processes in Brazil were severely impacted by Law 14.701/2023. It is urgent that the Federal Supreme Court rule on the unconstitutionality of this law; It is
- Ensure that there is no mining on Indigenous Lands in Brazil, nor any other type of exploration that affects the safeguarding of the biomes that we indigenous peoples have always done. We do not want to replace mining with mining, but rather mining with healthy forests.
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