Protect the lone Amazonian tribesman. He deserves to live in peace

[Judi Lynn]

Fiona Watson
People like this uncontacted man are supreme conservationists and symbolise the richness of humanity

Fri 27 Jul 2018 05.30 EDT Last modified on Fri 27 Jul 2018 07.08 EDT

I was standing on the edge of a patch of Amazon rainforest in Brazil. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but monochrome; vast soy plantations and tamed pasture for cattle. I peered into that last oasis of Amazonian green; somewhere in there was a person, a survivor, who was living through the unimaginable.

This man was the last of his tribe. He had survived the waves of genocidal attacks in the 1970s and 80s, as loggers and ranchers bulldozed their way through the forest denuding it of trees and life. These invaders murdered his entire family, his community, and neighbouring communities too. Fleeing the guns and hiding in the forest was his only survival strategy; to live out his remaining days totally on his own, hunting wild game and growing a few vegetables and fruits in his small garden.

One of the few outsiders ever to set foot on his land, I was there in 2005 with Funai, the governmental protection agency for tribal peoples in Brazil. I was with their indigenous land protection team as part of my work for Survival International, the global movement for tribal peoples. I was not there to make contact with this man; I was there to help ensure the security of his territory and protect his right to live as he has chosen to. Survival International believes the choice whether or not to make contact with mainstream society must only be made by the people themselves; it is never up to others to decide for them.

Peering into that forest 13 years ago, I never imagined this uncontacted man would live for long – the odds were too stacked against him. Yet last week, stunning video footage was released by Funai. The footage shows this man, strong, healthy, and very much alive. His survival is testament to his own resilience, but also demonstrates the real and profound good that properly protecting the land of uncontacted peoples can do. This fragment of rainforest must be protected by Funai for as long as he is alive. His presence alone keeps this small piece of rainforest safe from the rapacious loggers and ranchers surrounding it. The forest in turn keeps him safe in his chosen lifestyle, hiding from the rest of the world because experience has taught him to fear it.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/27/protect-uncontaced-tribes-amazon-humanity