At least eight children of the indigenous Yanomami people have been found in critical health in the northern Brazilian state of Roraima in the past few days. This was reported by Brazilian media at the weekend. The children are so malnourished that their lives are in danger.
According to the media, chaotic conditions prevail in the Yanomami indigenous reserve after gold prospectors penetrate deeper and deeper into the area. The Ministry of Health therefore imposed a state of emergency in the region. President Lula da Silva visited the reservation on Saturday (local time).
The Yanomami Reservation was established in 1992 and is the largest indigenous area in Brazil. It is located in the Amazon region on the border with Venezuela. For years, the indigenous people have reported the incursion of gold prospectors who are polluting the rivers with mercury and entering into violent conflicts with the indigenous people.
The situation has deteriorated dramatically under right-wing populist President Jair Messias Bolsonaro (2019-2022), indigenous representatives and the Catholic indigenous mission council Cimi complain. Bolsonaro had campaigned for gold prospecting in indigenous areas and cut the budget of the health authorities.
According to reports from the Amazon portal Sumauma, 570 Yanomami children under the age of five have died in the past four years due to a lack of health care. The state indigenous authority Funai and the Ministry of Health set up a crisis committee on Friday.
Experts point out that in addition to medical emergency measures, the deployment of security forces is necessary. Prospectors forcibly shut down several health posts in the area.
They also distributed weapons among indigenous people to fuel conflicts between them. Criminal gangs from Venezuela are also said to be active in the region. (KNA)
To home page
