Bolsonaro incites violence against Brazil’s indigenous people

This February 2020 video says about itself:

Indigenous Activist Defends Amazon Against Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro | NowThis

Brazil’s first Indigenous congresswoman, Joênia Wapixana, is leading the fight to protect the Amazon forest from far-right President Jair Bolsonaro.

From Avaaz today:

Dear friends,

We’ve just received an urgent cry for help from the heart of the Amazon: indigenous communities are facing an all-out assault that could destroy their culture and their home!

Now fearless activist, Sônia Guajajara, and other indigenous leaders are calling for our help.

Brazil’s far-right president wants to take away their lands and has threatened to ‘give guns to all the ranchers‘ who want to destroy them — and now he wants to open the rainforest to new oil drilling, mining, and even more logging.

We can’t let that happen!

To fight back, Sônia and the leaders of APIB, the largest Brazilian indigenous association, are urgently building an epic resistance to save the Amazon. And in weeks, they’ll lead thousands to march into Brazil’s capital to demand urgent action. They’re fighting for their survival — and we could help them win! …

We can’t afford to let this attack on the Amazon succeed — so much of life on Earth depends on it. The Amazon is home to 10% of the species on the planet, it replenishes the air we all breathe, sucks in vast amounts of carbon pollution, and anchors our weather and rain patterns. This magical jungle is literally helping to keep us all alive!

The best people to protect it are those who call it home, the hundreds of indigenous communities, living under its trees. They’re facing the might of hostile governments, powerful lobbies, and massive mining industries. And indigenous leaders like Sônia Guajajara, Kretã Kaingang, Dinaman Tuxá are our last line of defence in this unequal battle for one of the most precious jewels of life.

If there was ever a moment when they needed our help, it is now. And our movement is perfectly placed to give it: we’re over 50 million members across the planet. If we raise enough, we can support their urgent fight on the ground, and then ramp up our global campaigning to defend the Amazon and secure powerful protections for biodiversity hotspots worldwide.

But we don’t have long! Chip in now, and let’s unleash the magic of our movement behind these courageous forest defenders, all over the Amazon, and for all life on Earth:

Our movement has long led the charge to defend the Amazon and other critical habitats, fighting hand in hand with indigenous leaders to protect their homelands. And, just last year, our community mobilised thousands of donations to help the Waorani people of the Ecuadorian Amazon mount an unprecedented legal challenge against oil drilling on their land — and they won! Now, this rainforest gem is fighting off another existential attack — it’s time to swing into action again!

With hope and determination,

Diego, Mike, Marigona, Christoph, Bert, Laura, Oscar, Martyna and the rest of the Avaaz team …

More information:

Brazil’s indigenous communities resist Bolsonaro (Deutsche Welle)
https://www.dw.com/en/brazils-indigenous-communities-resist-bolsonaro/a-51909742

Brazil’s Bolsonaro unveils bill to allow commercial mining on indigenous land (The Guardian)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/06/brazil-bolsonaro-commercial-mining-indigenous-land-bill

What animals live in the Amazon? And 8 other Amazon facts (WWF)
https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/what-animals-live-in-the-amazon-and-8-other-amazon-facts

Conservationists Worry about Amazon’s Fate after Bolsonaro’s Victory in Brazil (Scientific American)
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/conservationists-worry-about-amazons-fate-after-bolsonaro…

The Global Importance of Amazon Natural Resources (Amazon Aid Foundation)
https://amazonaid.org/global-importance-amazon-natural-resources/

New research argues that legally protected large territories in Brazil are crucial to protect biodiversity and provide essential conditions for indigenous populations to maintain their traditional livelihoods: here.