Action in Yanomami territory, in Roraima, has already resulted in the destruction of logistical support structures for prohibited exploitation
Ibama informed on this Wednesday (8.feb.2023) that agents of the agency started on Monday (6.feb.2023) inspection measures to protect indigenous people and combat illegal mining in the Yanomami territory, in Roraima. The action has the support of Funai (National Foundation of Indigenous Peoples) and the National Public Security Force.
According to Ibama, by early Tuesday night (Feb 7), a helicopter, a plane, a bulldozer and logistical support structures for the mining had been destroyed. In addition, two weapons and 3 boats with approximately 5,000 liters of fuel were seized.
Ibama and the National Force installed a control base on the Uraricoera River to stop the flow and seize supplies from the garimpos, which they transported in motorized boats, the so-called “voadeiras”, gasoline, diesel, food, freezers, generators and internet antennas.
“All supplies have been seized and will be used to supply the control base. No vessel carrying fuel and equipment will be authorized to proceed from that blocking point towards the mines.”informed Ibama.
According to the agency, with logistical support from Funai, there will be more control bases scattered in other parts of the indigenous land.
Ibama also informed that there is an air operation that monitors clandestine airstrips in the region to identify and destroy the infrastructure used by the garimpeiros, but that planes, helicopters, engines and installations will be maintained.
In the statement, the institute says that the advance of mining and the humanitarian crisis in the indigenous land were stimulated by the government of the former president. Jair Bolsonaro (PL).
humanitarian crisis
In January, the Ministry of Health declared a public health emergency in the territory of the Yanomami, an area that suffers from lack of health care and faces cases of severe malnutrition and malaria. With an emergency nature, the folder created the COE-Yanomami, a center for emergency public health operations to assist the indigenous people.
Withdrawal of miners
The Minister of Justice and Public Security, Flávio Dino, said on Monday (Feb 6) that the government will begin this week the transition from the humanitarian assistance phase and closure of airspace in the Yanomami Indigenous Land in Roraima, to the police phase, of a coercive nature against garimpeiros and financiers of mineral activity.
According to Dino, the expectation is that, by the end of this week, 80% of the 15,000 people involved in illegal mining in the region will have left the area.
airstrips
An unprecedented survey by MapBiomas, released this Monday, identified 2,869 airstrips in the Amazon, according to the entity, more than double the runways contained in ANAC records.
By geographical coordinates, 804 airstrips, or 28% of the total, are within a protected area: 320 (11%) are inside Indigenous Lands (TI) and 498 (17%) inside Conservation units.
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