The Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR) received a complaint from indigenous leaders of the Wai Wai Indigenous Land alleging that invaders and illegal miners are carrying out illegal and criminal practices in the territories traditionally occupied by the Wai Wai indigenous communities, causing serious harm to families, communities, and leaders who feel threatened, with their right to self-determination and autonomy over the violated territories being violated.
Recently, a territorial protection and monitoring operation was carried out by the indigenous leaders of the Indigenous Territorial Protection and Surveillance Group – GPVTI and firefighters. The operation revealed the practice of illegal mining and territorial invasion, documented in reports produced by the community agents responsible for territorial protection and surveillance of the Wai Wai people. They also found tarpaulins in shelters, machinery, a landing strip, and evidence of water contamination due to activity within the indigenous territory.
Given the current public calamity in the Yanomami Indigenous Territory and the departure of 20,000 illegal miners from that territory, after years of encouragement through actions, speeches, and omissions by the Bolsonaro and Denarium governments towards illegal practices, indigenous leaders fear that the exodus of criminals from the Yanomami Indigenous Territory will impact and increase pressure on other territories, such as the Wai Wai Indigenous Territory.
According to the CIR's legal counsel, official requests have already been sent to the National Indigenous Peoples Foundation (FUNAI), the Federal Police (PF), and the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF) to take urgent and necessary measures to confront the invasion and illegal mining in the Wai Wai Indigenous Territory.
