05/06/2024 – 7:13
Mining has advanced in the Amazon over the last four decades and the expansion of irregular mining accelerated between 2016 and 2022, according to a technical note from the Amazon Environmental Research Institute (Ipam) released last week. In this scenario, indigenous peoples have been the most affected. In the period of six years, the mining area grew 361% within indigenous territories, while in the rest of the biome the increase was 96%.
Based on data from MapBiomas, the estimate is that there are currently more than 80 thousand mining points in an area of 241 thousand hectares. The most affected regions are in the northwest of Roraima, southwest and southeast of Pará and north of Mato Grosso and Rondônia. Parts of the states of Amazonas, Amapá and Maranhão are also targets of this illegal activity.
INDIGENOUS TERRITORY
Between 1985 and 2022, mining increased 12 times in the Brazilian Amazon, but in indigenous territories the activity grew 16 times. The Ministries of the Environment and Indigenous Peoples under the Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva administration, who took over the government at the beginning of 2023, say they are adopting actions and list results, such as the drop in deforestation related to mining.
Over the last four decades, the study points out, there were two moments marked by the expansion of mining activity in indigenous territory. The first occurred between 1985 and 1990. In the second moment, between 2016 and 2022, the increase is 78% of the entire area occupied by mining in the territories of original peoples.
Of the 335 indigenous reserves in the Brazilian Amazon, at least 17 have mining activities. The territory that comprises most of the mining area is Caiapó, with 55%.
Next come the Munduruku (22%) and Yanomami (13%) units. Last year, the federal government declared a national health emergency in Yanomami Land. Together, the areas of these three peoples represent 90% of mining activity in indigenous territories.
Ore extraction along rivers uses mercury, which contaminates the entire local river basin, and causes the toxic substance to reach other people, even if they do not live close to mining areas. This is the case of another 122 indigenous territories that are located in river basins affected by mining activity.
RETURN
In January, the Estadão showed that, one year after the health emergency declared by the government, the Yanomami Land is suffering from new attacks by illegal mining, violence and malaria. Indigenous leaders also complain about problems in operations to combat environmental crimes and the insufficiency of public authorities in delivering basic food baskets and guaranteeing safety.
REDUCTION IN ACTIVITY
Wanted by Estadão, the Ministry of the Environment highlighted the “32% reduction in the area for opening new mines in the Amazon compared to 2022”. In indigenous lands, the ministry continues, “the drop in open area for new mining was 34%”.
“Last year, Ibama carried out 673 inspection actions in 98 TIs, which resulted in 378 infraction notices and the imposition of fines totaling R$119 million”, he says.
The Ministry of Indigenous Peoples also highlighted the drop in the presence of mining and environmental crimes on indigenous lands. He also said that, in his first year in office, he focused on combating mining, as well as vulnerability and malnutrition among the Yanomami. “The MPI coordinated actions with other ministries, authorities and institutions to implement the rights of indigenous peoples.” Among the bodies cited by the ministry are the Ministry of Justice, the Federal Police, the Federal Highway Police, the National Force and the Ministry of Defense. When contacted, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security did not respond.
The information is from the newspaper The State of S. Paulo.
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