Minister said that indigenous people dying of hunger in the “4th largest food producer in the world” is a “shame”
The Minister of Development and Social Assistance, Wellington Diasstated that it is a “shame” that indigenous people die of hunger “in the country that is the 4th largest food producer in the world”. classified the situation as “genocide”. He was part of the president’s entourage Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) who traveled to Roraima to evaluate the health crisis of the Yanomami ethnic group, this Saturday (21.jan.2023).
“Indigenous teams and authorities in Roraima said that it is still not known for sure how many people died in this genocide, aggravated by the fact that it is within a Yanomami territory, of federal protection and responsibility, which allowed illegal mining, mercury contaminating the waters and the presence of the organized crime”declared Days.
On Friday (January 20), the Ministry of Health declared a public health emergency in the Yanomami territory. The area suffers from lack of health care and faces cases of severe malnutrition and malaria.
Lula was in the Raposa Serra do Sol Indigenous Land this Saturday and announced emergency measures to face the health crisis. Doctors and nurses from the national force of the SUS (Sistema Único de Saúde) will start to reinforce the assistance to indigenous people from Monday (23.jan).
Wellington Dias blamed the government of Jair Bolsonaro (PL) for the situation of the Yanomami and reinforced that there will be federal support to solve the crisis.
“It was the indifference and neglect of the Bolsonaro government that killed the Yanomami people. Now we come to join hands and work hard to stop the deaths. There are many in critical situation”, said.
According to the minister, around 5,000 food baskets arrived in Roraima in Air Force planes. He also informed that the storage and distribution of the items –which total 80 tons– has already started.
The action is a partnership between the Ministries of Development and Social Assistance, Management and Innovation in Public Services, Health, Indigenous Peoples, funai (National Foundation of Indigenous Peoples) and the Armed Forces.
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