Destroyed ecosystem,
devastated Indigenous territories
The Brazilian Amazon rainforest is at risk. As the Earth’s largest rainforest and as an indispensable CO₂ reservoir, it is central to South America’s water supply to biodiversity worldwide and to the stability of the global climate. The Amazon is also the rightful home of countless Indigenous communities. Although they are protecting this unique ecosystem, profiteering is threatening their native lands and security.
Around 60 percent of the Amazon region is located in Brazil, where the threat to it is most acute: Between August 2022 and July 2023 alone, 9,000 square kilometers of rainforest were cut down. That is an area around 18 times the size of Lake Constance.
The presidency of far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro from 2019 to 2022 was catastrophic: he campaigned in favour of exploiting the Amazon. His policies promoted mining, logging and agriculture in nature reserves and Indigenous areas, as well as violence against Indigenous communities. He weakened institutions that were supposed to protect the rainforest and its inhabitants, and he cracked down on activists.
The Amazon is the biggest rainforest in the world.
Indigenous peoples have lived in the Amazon for thousands of years.
More than half of the intact Amazon is located either in nature reserves or in indigenous territories.
The village Demini is home for many Yanomami.
Yanomami preparing to go fishing.
Yanomami children help with fishing.
Yanomami children playing.
"The Brazilian state does not want to or cannot help us. That is why we now want to take the marking of our tribal country into our own hands. But for this we need means that we do not have. Please help us!" Braz Antonio Marques, chief of the Tupinambá.
A house in the village of São Francisco in the Brazilian Amazon region. The indigenous Tupinambá live here.
Indigenous Tupinambá in the village of São Francisco in the Brazilian Amazon region.
Indigenous communities have been living in the Amazon for thousands of years, and today they comprise around 900,000 individuals in Brazilian territory alone. There are even several thousand people living in voluntary isolation. Indigenous knowledge and practices have an important role to play with regard to the climate catastrophe: studies show that their land is more intact than the rest of the rainforest. Thus, if their land is recognised and protected, this will save the irreplaceable Amazon ecosystem from further harm.
Since Lula da Silva was elected as Brazil’s head of state, there has been great hope for improvement and deforestation decreased. However, the situation remains perilous: especially as the balance of power in Brazil’s parliament favours major landowners and their lobby, but also, and to no small extent, because of international corporations (including Swiss banks, insurers and commodities groups) making money in the agricultural sector or the gold trade, for example.
Despite many setbacks, Indigenous communities are courageously standing up for their rights in a well-organised manner. Their powerful protests against illegal loggers and gold miners are being heard around the world.
In April 2019, thousands of Indigenous people demonstrated in Brasilia for their rights and for protection of the rainforest.
The achievements of the STP in the amazon
Tupinambá submit application for recognition of their territory
In March 2023, the Tupinambá indigenous community submitted a report to the Brazilian indigenous authority FUNAI to have their territory recognised as “Terra Indígena”. The report documents the community’s historical claim to their territory and shows their connection to the region on the lower course of the Tapajós River. The report was preceded by a demarcation process in which the Tupinambá collected geographical data about their territory. The STP supported the Tupinambá with a crowdfunding campaign to finance this extensive project.
Research “UBS co-finances controversial agribusinesses”
The STP revealed how UBS, through its Brazilian investment bank, has provided two agricultural corporations with money from global investors. Both companies are involved in illegal deforestation, environmental destruction and human rights violations. With a report, a web story and an explanatory video, the STP was able to make this accessible to the public and contribute to the broader discussion on corporate responsibility.
Gold industry speaks out for the rights of Indigenous peoples
Following the visit of a delegation from the Brazilian Amazon, five major gold refiners and the Swiss Association of Manufacturers and Traders in Precious Metals released a landmark statement: they condemned illegal mining and advocated that indigenous and local communities must have a say in projects.
Award-winning STP film "Threatened Tapajós"
The STP-produced movie “Threatened Tapajós” directed by Thomaz Pedro was met with enthusiasm at film festivals and has won several accolades. It shows the perspective of indigenous people, whose environment is threatened by infrastructure projects. These projects do mainly push ahead the exploitation of the region. Further, a report by STP clarifies who is affected and which Swiss financial institutions are allegedly involved.
Contact
