A mysterious and isolated tribe known as the “flecheros” fell victim in August to what has been considered by some to be a “genocidal attack” and a “brutal massacre”. The attack was confirmed by Brazilian authorities on September 10 and has denounced by non-governmental organizations operating in the Amazon region.
More specifically, the event occurred in the Javari Valley, one of the largest indigenous reserves in Brazil. The area of more than 85,000 square kilometers has been considered indigenous territory since 2001, but its natural wealth draws attention to illegal miners as the possible perpetrators of the massacre.
Although the authorities have not revealed the number of victims, the indigenous leader Adelson Kora Kanamari said that between 18 and 21 aborigines would have been attacked and killed.
At least 14 isolated ethnic groups reside in the Javari Valley, among them the “flecheros”, and another 5 with whom contact has already been established. The case has generated a great deal of commotion in the organizations that protect indigenous rights in the area.
Among them is the NGO Survival International, which denounces the responsibility of both Brazilian President Michael Temer and his government in the genocidal attack. These claims are added to others that consider that the management of the current government has represented a setback in environmental matters and indigenous rights.
The local prosecutor’s office confirmed the deaths as murders and indicated that the Federal Public Ministry and the Federal Police are investigating.
Meanwhile, the Public Ministry is investigating another complaint of a massacre committed against members of the Warikama Djapar tribe. The attack would have occurred in May, it has not yet been confirmed.
The first complaint was known about two weeks ago. Indigenous leader Adelson Kora Kanamari said that between 18 and 21 aborigines “would have been attacked and killed” between May and June.
Kora Kanamari explained that the situation in the region is “critical”. The invaders, according to his words, “are landowners, hunters and miners. Many uncontacted Indians are being killed. However, we do not know for sure the dates or the exact number of deaths, ”he said.
Natural and cultural wealth in danger of disappearing
The scene of the killings is a disputed area called Vale do Javari. The territory, which covers 8.5 million hectares, was regularized in 2001 as indigenous land.
The area is located almost 1,200 kilometers from Manaus, capital of the state of Amazonas. It has about 7,000 inhabitants, and on its surface there would be at least 14 isolated tribes and five contacted ethnic groups.
Most of these unlocated tribes are shrouded in mystery, and almost nothing is known about what languages they speak or what their customs are. At the same time, the area has significant mineral wealth that acts as a magnet for miners looking to settle there.
For its part, the presence of foreigners has also brought diseases, such as hepatitis, against which the original inhabitants have no defenses. The expansion of these evils causes numerous deaths.