Survival International

An appeal from the Yanomami

Malnourished Yanomami person with emergency healthcare staff.
© URIHI - Associação Yanomami

Thousands of illegal goldminers are destroying the land of the Yanomami indigenous people in the northern Amazon.

They bring violence and infectious diseases to the communities living there, and are poisoning the rivers and fish with mercury.

Some Yanomami are uncontacted - they avoid contact with outsiders, including other Yanomami. Uncontacted tribes are the most vulnerable peoples on the planet and the invaders could wipe them out.

Davi Kopenawa Yanomami, a shaman and a leader of the Yanomami people, says:

Dear friend,

We Yanomami and Ye'kuana people do not want mining on our land. We are extremely worried.

Mining won't bring any benefits to us - only disease, violence and death.

Bolsonaro said that there's a lot of land for few Indigenous people, but those "few" Indigenous people are looking after the forest for the whole world.

We need to pressure the government. Together, we are strong.

Davi Kopenawa Yanomami

In the 1980s, Davi Kopenawa Yanomami and the Yanomami's supporters around the world fought for the protection of the Yanomami territory - and won. Together, we can win again. Please act now in solidarity with Davi and the Yanomami.

Please email Brazil's President and senior ministers now.

Don't miss out on your next chance to stand with tribal peoples worldwide.

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