Largest forested indigenous territory in the world
November 2011: Survival International has released new pictures of an uncontacted Yanomami village in Brazil, 20 years after one of its crucial campaigns created the biggest forested indigenous territory in the world.
Survival International, Yanomami leader Davi Kopenawa and Brazil's Pro Yanomami Commission were instrumental in securing the victory.
These new pictures emphasize how important the territory is in protecting the Yanomami from goldminers who devastated the tribe in the 1980s. The ‘Yanomami Park ' is one of many initiatives spearheaded by Survival International.
This sighting represents a huge success – but the fight isn't overSurvival's director Stephen Corry said: ‘Survival's supporters can be immensely proud of the success that this sighting represents. Of course many tribal peoples, including the uncontacted Yanomami, are still threatened by the illegal occupation of their land, so we can't afford to give up the fight.
‘The very existence of uncontacted Yanomami, however, proves that persistent campaigning pays off. Here's to many more such victories.'
The Yanomami suffered years of oppression at the hands of gold-miners. Violence and disease saw their population fall by 20 per cent in just seven years. Brazil announced its decision to outline the borders of a Yanomami territory in November 1991. It was signed into law the following year.
To find out more about the Yanomami people by visiting Survival International's website.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/yanomami-brazil.html
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