As the world endures great adversity at this time,we must not forget other people’s way of life which play a key role in the survival of our planet. The Amazon Rainforest with it’s Indigenous guardians who strive to protect our planets eco-system and natural produce is one of these realities that are inter-linked to our own.
Earlier this year on the 6th of February at the Imperial College in London (United Kingdom) we were introduced to Chief Raoni Metuktire, Chief of the Kayapo people living in math Grosso and Para Brazilian regions across the Amazon Basin, and also to Chief Raoni’s nephew Native leader Megaron Txucarramae along with Ikuma Txucarramae, representing Indigenous people of the Amazon Rainforest region such as the M_kragnotire tribe amongst other Amazon Rainforest Indigenous Tribes.
Other Indigenous people across the Amazon also include tribes such as the M_bengokre, Ikpeng, Panara, Macuxi, Arawak and the Yanomami.
The Indigenous tribes of the Amazon Rainforest which is also known as the Amazon Basin are estimated at approximately one million Indigenous people (please note that this figure is not to be confused with other statistics pertaining to Indigenous figures outside of the Traditional Amazonian structure of Tribal communities) who still live specifically in the Amazon Rainforest Basin on what is known as their Indigenous lands, along with an additional one hundred to two hundred and fifty un-contacted tribes who wish to remain private.
This also includes the fact that the Indigenous people from un-contacted tribes have taken the necessary protective measures in their choice to remain isolated for good health and safety reasons, and do not want any un-authorised helicopter visits that would otherwise bring in unwanted contaminants such as disease and viruses which would cause death to their tribes.
(N.B In regard to the above paragraph, I do not wish to offend any body in any way whose heart and logic are in the right place. As for the Amazon Rainforest tribes who do not mind if you visit them, then please obviously make sure that you have had a full medical check-up etc. before you travel).
The numbers of Indigenous tribal Rainforest people living on their native land in the Amazon Basin along with the additional numbers of Indigenous people from un -contacted tribes who are also living on their own land in the Amazon Rainforest Basin is enough to tell everybody that the Amazon Rainforest Basin itself is clearly not uninhabited and not vacant free-for-all-land.*
Chief Raoni opened the actual Q&A by thanking the audience for their support and for engaging in a conversation about the threats to Indigenous people who live there and who witness the destruction of a significant part of our planets eco-system, day in day out.
The destruction of the Amazon rainforest will affect everyone on the planet. The burning of the of trees gives out high carbon pollution and the ecological damage is affecting both human life and wildlife.
A great number of animals are also migrating from their usual range away from areas where they normally flourish.
Chief Raoni expressed the desire that deforestation and the burning of the Amazon should cease, and with the burning season again rapidly approaching for this May of 2020 right through to the end of this September, it is extremely important that the world remains vigilant in supporting and taking further International measures immediately and without fail so as to put a stop the repeat of such large scale burning across the Amazon rainforest.*
Chief Raoni also expressed the desire that his people were seeking to be engaged in conversation in regard to proper consultation with the Indigenous tribes living across the entire Amazon Rainforest Basin (and indeed across the whole Guiana Shield which makes up the eight Amazon countries that represent Amazonia and that are also areas of the Amazon Basin* for that matter).
Deforestation is affecting the Climate and Climatic change affects all of us as a planet. Therefore it is a concern for everyone as to how we are all being affected by Climate change.
As a result of Climate Change, the Dry Season has become increasingly extended and according to scientific reports it is understood that if not enough International measures are taken NOW to protect the Amazon rainforest, then it could very likely turn into dry dessert land in the next fifty years.
The Cassava harvest is affected by Climate Change and farming is becoming increasingly difficult as harvests of crops in the Amazon are getting smaller.
In Amazon territories there has also currently been a huge increase in mining and this is causing a significant pollution of rivers (including what should be natural freshwater streams) all over the Amazon and this in turn is also affecting everything including the entire vertebrate population.
The toxic sludge is often found to cover the top soil of many areas of fertile farm land that is farmed by Indigenous people.
The sludge therefore is a major problem in that it creates a blanket of serious pollution of top soil normally utilised for farming crops.
In order to plant crops in many areas the industrial toxic waste now has to be cleared first from the surface of the ground by the Amazon Rainforest inhabitants to enable them to reach any kind of fertile soil beneath the deposited industrial toxic sludge, and this just adds to the daily difficulties of farming vital crops.
There is a real risk of crops grown on polluted land becoming unhealthy to eat and the food supply of the Indigenous people is dwindling/reducing each year as a direct result of such anti-environmental factors.*
The Kayapo Chief explained that people around the world would understand their concerns even more if they come out to visit some of the local Amazonian villages. (Excluding the villages of the un-contacted tribes who wish to remain private).
The Amazon leaders said that they want peace across the Amazon meaning the entire Amazon Rainforest region. (This would include the full number of borders that make up the eight Amazon countries which cover the entire Amazon region on the whole, including the Amazon Rainforest).
Chief Raoni emphasised that he had no wish for fighting or war in the Amazon and that the problems faced by the Indigenous people require urgent International attention.
The ongoing occurrence of Deforestation and Climate change are undoubtedly linked. Both scenarios are happening simultaneously and there is an enormous threat to the people of the Amazon rainforest which in turn has wide spread effects to people everywhere on the planet.
Because of this Chief Raoni wishes all organisations, charities and groups across the world to come together to unite and to meet as an International Environmental World Coalition for everyone who is concerned about Deforestation and Climate Change, to give their support in every way that they can in order to protect the Amazon Rainforest.
Preservation of the Amazon Rainforest will slow down Climate Change. The Amazon rainforest helps to cool the planet by absorbing approximately two billion tonnes of Carbon pollution (CO2) each year and it is of absolute global importance that further International steps need to be taken in order to protect the endangered bio-sphere of the Amazon rainforest.
CO2 pollution will still be continuing. It will not go away simply by being ignored.
Together, we must all continue to focus on being aware in helping the Amazon Rainforest Indigenous tribes to preserve their way of life, which is in turn medicine for all of us and for our planet on so many different levels...
Liza Dawn K