European protests to stop bulldozers on uncontacted tribe's land

2010-01-25T15:46:44+00:00

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Protestors gathered in London, Madrid and Paris today to oppose the destruction of land belonging to one of the world’s last "uncontacted tribes":/uncontactedtribes. The protestors stood outside the Paraguayan embassies in Madrid and London holding placards reading, ‘Save the Ayoreo.’ The "Ayoreo-Totobiegosode":/tribes/ayoreo are losing their forest to a Brazilian company bulldozing it to graze cattle for beef. In Paris, a letter was handed in to UNESCO’s head office expressing their concern for the Totobiegosode. The forest being destroyed by the cattle-ranchers is part of a "UNESCO":http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=29008&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html ‘biosphere reserve’, but despite pleas from the Totobiegosode to stop the destruction UNESCO has yet to respond. The company, Yaguarete Pora S.A., recently won Survival’s "‘Greenwashing Award 2010’":/news/5436 for its decision to create a ‘nature reserve’ on the Totobiegosode’s land while destroying thousands of hectares of their forest. Yaguarete denies it is acting illegally and claims the land it is destroying does not belong to the Totobiegosode, despite the fact that many studies prove it belongs to them and a legal claim made by the Totobiegosode is based on one of those studies. See the company’s "deforestation plans.":http://www.youtube.com/user/survivalintl?feature=pyv&ad=4590156105&kw=tribe&gclid=CK_m3Y3yv58CFWlr4wodtye20A#p/u/0/Urv0dmGm02A "Satellite photos":/news/5212 clearly show the destruction of the Totobiegosode’s forest. They are the only uncontacted tribe in the world losing their land to beef. Survival director, Stephen Corry, said today, ‘People all over the world are beginning to wake up to what is happening to the Totobiegosode. Paraguay risks being more famous for this tragedy than anything else.’ <h2>Click to download hi-res images</h2> <div style="width:300px;"><a href="http://assets.survivalinternational.org/image_files/85/london_ayoreo_protest_original.jpg"><img src="http://assets.survivalinternational.org/pictures/509/london_ayoreo_protest_screen.jpg" alt="London protest urging action by the Paraguayan government at its embassy in Kensington" width="300px" /></a> London protest urging action by the Paraguayan government at its embassy in Kensington. © Marc Cowan <a href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets-production.survivalinternational.org/pictures/510/UK-PAR-AYO-01_original.jpg"><img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets-production.survivalinternational.org/pictures/510/UK-PAR-AYO-01_news_medium.jpg" alt="London protest urging action by the Paraguayan government at its embassy in Kensington" width="300px" /></a> London protest urging action by the Paraguayan government at its embassy in Kensington. © Marc Cowan <a href="http://assets.survivalinternational.org/pictures/505/ESP-PAR-AYO-01_original.jpg"><img src="http://assets.survivalinternational.org/pictures/505/ESP-PAR-AYO-01_news_medium.jpg" alt="" width="300px" /></a> Madrid protest urging action by the Paraguayan government. © Iñaki Luis/Survival <a href="http://assets.survivalinternational.org/pictures/508/ESP-PAR-AYO-03_original.jpg"><img src="http://assets.survivalinternational.org/pictures/508/ESP-PAR-AYO-03_news_medium.jpg" alt="" width="300px" /></a> Madrid protest urging action on the plight of the Ayoreo by the Paraguayan government. © Aitana Luis/Survival <a href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets-production.survivalinternational.org/pictures/500/unesco2_original.jpeg"><img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets-production.survivalinternational.org/pictures/500/unesco2_news_medium.jpeg" alt="" width="300px" /></a> Paris protest urging action by the Paraguayan government. © Survival</div>

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2010-01-26T15:18:00+00:00

Protestors gathered in London, Madrid and Paris today to oppose the destruction of land belonging to one of the world’s last uncontacted tribes.

http://bit.ly/4MnYbH

published

European protests to stop bulldozers on uncontacted tribe's land

2010-01-27T12:25:25+00:00

2010-01-18T11:51:48+00:00

5436

A Brazilian company bulldozing an uncontacted tribe’s land in Paraguay has won Survival’s ‘Greenwashing Award 2010’. The company, Yaguarete Porá S.A., has won the award for ‘dressing up the wholesale destruction of a huge area of the Indians’ forest as a noble gesture for conservation’, says Survival’s director Stephen Corry. Yaguarete owns 78,549 hectares of forest that is part of the "Ayoreo-Totobiegosode":/tribes/ayoreo tribe’s ancestral territory. After satellite photos were published around the world revealing that it has "destroyed thousands of hectares of the tribe’s forest":/news/5212, the company issued a press release announcing it intends to create a ‘nature reserve’ on its land. But plans submitted by Yaguarete to Paraguay’s Environment Ministry reveal that the amount of ‘continuous forest’ in the reserve will be just 16,784 hectares out of the 78,549 hectares total, and the company in fact plans to convert around two thirds of the land to cattle ranching. Some of the Totobiegosode have already been contacted and vehemently condemned the plans for the ‘reserve’, pointing out that it violates their rights under both Paraguayan and international law. The contacted Totobiegosode have been claiming legal title to this land since 1993, but most of it is still in private hands. The Totobiegosode are the only "uncontacted Indians":/uncontactedtribes in the world having their territory destroyed for beef production. Survival director, Stephen Corry, said today, ‘This is textbook ‘greenwashing’: bulldoze the forest and then ‘preserve’ a bit of it for PR purposes. The public won’t fall for it. Yaguarete should stop playing games and pull out of the Totobiegosode’s territory once and for all.’ See Yaguarete’s plans here. {% film 78 %} notextile. <style type="text/css"></style> The Totobiegosode in numbers: *2,800,000* Estimated hectares of Totobiegosode territory 50 years ago *550,000* Hectares claimed through the courts by the Totobiegosode *78,549* Hectares of Totobiegosode land ‘owned’ by Yaguarete Pora S.A. *57,000* People around the world who have signed a petition in support of the Totobiegosode *16,784* Hectares of 'continuous forest’ planned by Yaguarete for a ‘private nature reserve’ on Totobiegosode land *3,000* Estimated hectares destroyed by Yaguarete in 2009 *2,533* Resolution number passed in 2008 by Paraguay’s Environment ministry canceling Yaguarete’s licence to work on Totobiegosode land *169* "International law":/law that Yaguarete is violating by working on Totobiegosode land *6* Minimum number of bulldozers operating on Totobiegosode land in recent months *0* Public statements by President Lugo about the Totobiegosode

'Survival's 'Greenwashing Award 2010' has been won by ranching company Yaguarete Porá'.

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2010-01-20T10:08:00+00:00

A Brazilian company bulldozing an uncontacted tribe’s land in Paraguay has won Survival International’s ‘Greenwashing Award 2010’.

http://bit.ly/5YuLuc

published

Survival names winner of 'Greenwashing Award' 2010

2010-01-20T13:44:26+00:00

2010-01-04T15:51:13+00:00

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Relatives of one of the world’s last "uncontacted tribes":http://www.survivalinternational.org/uncontactedtribes have condemned a Brazilian company’s plans to convert some of their land into a ‘natural reserve’. The company, Yaguarete Pora S.A., announced its plans after destroying "thousands of hectares":http://www.survivalinternational.org/news/5212 of the tribe’s land and being severely criticized in the Paraguayan and international press for doing so. The relatives of the tribe, the "Ayoreo-Totobiegosode":http://www.survivalinternational.org/tribes/ayoreo, wrote to Paraguay’s Environment minister, pointing out that plans to create a ‘reserve’ violated their rights and both Paraguayan and international law. The Totobiegosode have been claiming legal title to this land since 1993, but most of it is still in private hands. ‘We are the ones who ensure the conservation of the forests on our land in accordance with the way we have always managed them. We are the ones who live in the forest and we are the ones who look after it,’ said the letter from Totobiegosode organisation OPIT to the Environment minister. ‘It is time that your ministry solves this huge problem for the Totobiegosode and their ancestral territories. You have already seen what is happening to our forests and to the places that mean so much to us historically – the places where we have always lived and where our relatives live without contact. Once again, we urge you to help us along this long path we have been treading since 1993.’ Survival director, Stephen Corry, said today, 'This is just a devious attempt to detract attention from the fact Yaguarete has destroyed so much of the Totobiegosode's land and intends to keep on doing so. It also means the company continues to be the owner of the land, rather than transferring ownership to the Totobiegosode themselves. It's a public relations gimmick of the grossest kind.'

Bulldozers about to destroy the uncontacted Totobiegosode's land.

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2010-01-04T15:51:11+00:00

Relatives of one of the world’s last uncontacted tribes have condemned a Brazilian company’s plans to convert some of their land into a ‘natural reserve’.

http://bit.ly/8nJxSW

Uncontacted tribe’s relatives condemn creation of ‘reserve'

Uncontacted tribe’s relatives condemn creation of ‘reserve’

2010-01-04T15:52:54+00:00

2009-12-03T17:55:39+00:00

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Relatives of one of the world’s "last uncontacted tribes":/uncontactedtribes have urged UNESCO officials to see ‘with their own eyes’ how their traditional territory is being illegally and rapidly destroyed. The land of the tribe, "the Ayoreo-Totobiegosode":/tribes/ayoreo, is situated in a UNESCO biosphere reserve. It is home to the last uncontacted Indians in South America outside of the Amazon, and thousands of hectares have been destroyed by Brazilian ranchers who want the land to graze cattle for beef. ‘We urge you to send a letter to "UNESCO in Paris":http://www.unesco.org so that their representatives come and see with their own eyes what is happening to our forests,’ said a statement from the Totobiegosode’s organization, OPIT, to Paraguay’s Foreign Minister. ‘We thought that the creation of the biosphere could lead to respect for the forest where our uncontacted relatives live. It has not been respected. (Deforestation) kills the forest and the animals that we need to survive.’ The biosphere is being bulldozed by a ranching company known as Yaguarete Pora S.A. It was created in 2005 to protect the Totobiegosode and secure ‘the recovery, legalization and return of the land to these native people.’ The destruction of the Indians’ land has been dramatically revealed by "satellite photos":/news/2480. Survival director, Stephen Corry, said today, ‘UNESCO is failing one of the world’s last uncontacted tribes. We urge them to do all they can to stop the deforestation of the Totobiegosode’s land before a significant part of its biosphere reserve disappears forever.’ Jonathan Mazower is available for interview. Jonathan is Survival’s Paraguay expert and has met some of the relatives of the uncontacted Totobiegosode.

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2009-12-07T10:56:00+00:00

Relatives of one of the world’s last uncontacted tribes have urged UNESCO officials to see ‘with their own eyes’ how their traditional territory is being illegally and rapidly destroyed.

http://bit.ly/7o9yeP

Paraguay: Plea for UNESCO to witness uncontacted tribe's forest destruction

Plea for UNESCO to witness uncontacted tribe's forest destruction

2009-12-07T11:08:48+00:00

2009-11-30T10:13:23+00:00

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A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve inhabited by an uncontacted tribe is being bulldozed by Brazilian cattle ranchers at a devastating rate. A government representative and two relatives of the tribe have tried to enter the region, but personnel from the ranchers’ company, Yaguarete Pora S.A, barred them. The reserve, in the Chaco region in Paraguay, is home to the only uncontacted tribe in South America outside of the Amazon, the "Ayoreo-Totobiegosode":/tribes/ayoreo. The reserve is being destroyed despite UNESCO’s objective to protect the Ayoreo-Totobiegosode, including ‘the recovery, legalization and return of the land to these native people. . . (It) helps to protect local indigenous communities’ homeland and cultural identity.’ The reserve also aims to protect ‘flagship species’ like the jaguar – an irony given that a Spanish language translation of that word, yaguarete, is the name of the company bulldozing the reserve. Satellite photos show that thousands of hectares of the reserve have been destroyed, despite Yaguarete Pora having its license to work there withdrawn by the government. The Chaco Biosphere Reserve was created in 2005. The general aim of these reserves, created under UNESCO’s ‘Man and the Biosphere Programme’, is to ‘innovate and demonstrate approaches to conservation and sustainable development.’ Survival Director, Stephen Corry, said today, ‘The Totobiegosode’s land is being destroyed as we speak. Given that their land falls within a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, we hope that UNESCO can play a part in stopping this destruction and pressing for the recognition of their land rights.’

A Totobiegosode man making string. The Totobiegosode's forest is being illegally destroyed by Brazilian ranchers.

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2009-11-30T10:24:01+00:00

A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve inhabited by an uncontacted tribe is being bulldozed by Brazilian cattle ranchers at a devastating rate.

http://bit.ly/8fPWHP

UNESCO biosphere bulldozed by Brazilian ranchers

2009-11-30T10:24:01+00:00

2009-11-06T12:34:24+00:00

5212

The only uncontacted tribe in South America outside the Amazon is having its forest rapidly and illegally bulldozed by ranchers who want their land to graze cattle for beef. The "Ayoreo-Totobiegosode":/tribes/ayoreo is the only uncontacted tribe in the world currently losing its land to beef production. The ranchers’ operations were exposed by satellite photos taken on 1 November. Since 2 November, an "ad":http://assets.survival-international.org/documents/125/alertaparaguay.mp3 by Survival publicising the deforestation has been playing on a major Paraguayan radio station, Radio Nanduti. The ranchers, from Brazilian company Yaguarete Pora S.A., are operating on the tribe’s land in Paraguay despite having their licence suspended by the Environment Ministry in August for previous illegal clearance. They are clearing the forest, the home of the Ayoreo-Totobiegosode tribe, using bulldozers alleged to belong to Jacobo Kauenhowen, owner of a large bulldozer business in a nearby Mennonite colony. ‘This is a serious threat to the Totobiegosode. The illegal deforestation carried out by Yaguarete in Paraguay is continuing without any control whatsoever,’ said the Paraguayan NGO GAT, which is working to protect the Ayoreo’s lands. Last year Yaguarete, together with another Brazilian company, River Plate S.A., destroyed thousands of hectares of the tribe’s land. Some of the Totobiegosode have already been contacted and have relatives among those who remain uncontacted. Survival director, Stephen Corry, said today, ‘The Totobiegosode are the most vulnerable uncontacted tribe in the world. A tragedy is unfolding right before our eyes – and the satellite camera’s lens. President Lugo must not sit back and watch as Paraguay’s most vulnerable people see their homes and livelihoods annihilated.’

The Ayoreo's home is being rapidly destroyed for beef production.

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2009-11-09T10:18:00+00:00

The only uncontacted tribe in South America outside the Amazon is having its forest rapidly and illegally bulldozed by ranchers who want their land to graze cattle for beef.

http://bit.ly/1oQJ8s

Uncontacted tribe's forest bulldozed for beef

2009-11-09T10:26:21+00:00

Paraguay: Ranchers seek license to destroy uncontacted tribe

2009-05-05T01:00:00+01:00

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A Brazilian cattle-ranching company is seeking permission from Paraguay’s government to destroy forest inhabited by one of the world’s last uncontacted tribes. The company, Yaguarete Pora S.A., has applied to Paraguay’s Environment Ministry for a licence to work in an area where uncontacted <a href="../../../../../tribes/ayoreo">Ayoreo-Totobiegosode</a> Indians live. Yaguarete own the land, but its licence to work there was withdrawn last year after the publication of satellite photos showing its destruction of the forest, and pressure from local organisations. Yaguarete also prevented an investigative team from the Environment Ministry from entering the area. ‘The Environment Ministry must not grant a new licence to Yaguarete,’ urged local Totobiegosode support organisation GAT. ‘If it does, the last of the uncontacted Totobiegosode could be wiped out.’ Yaguarete has recently announced its intention to maintain an ‘eco-reserve’ in a small part of the forest it has been destroying – a move denounced by Survival as ‘greenwashing of the most outrageous kind’. Some Totobiegosode have already been contacted and are claiming legal title to their land. Only a small part of it has been protected so far, and vast areas of the region are being rapidly deforested for cattle ranching. Survival’s director, Stephen Corry, said today, ‘We urge Paraguay’s government not to allow Yaguarete to work on the Totobiegosode’s land. To do so would violate their rights under international law and the UN’s Declaration on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights, and may well destroy them as a people.’ For more information please contact Miriam Ross at Survival International on (+44) (0)20 7687 8734 or (+44) (0)7504 543 367 or email <a href="mailto:mr@survival-international.org">mr@survival-international.org</a>

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There are an unknown number of Ayoreo Indians still living uncontacted in the Paraguayan Chaco.

167

2009-05-05T01:00:00+01:00

A Brazilian cattle-ranching company is seeking permission from Paraguay’s government to destroy forest inhabited by one of the world’s last uncontacted tribes.

Ranchers seek license to destroy uncontacted tribes’ land

4478

2009-05-05T01:00:00+01:00

Paraguay: Brazilian rancher greeted by ‘illegal’ advert

2009-03-26T00:00:00+00:00

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A Brazilian rancher destroying uncontacted Indians’ land in Paraguay has today arrived in that country to be greeted with a national newspaper advert denouncing his actions as ‘illegal’. Sr. Marcelo Bastos Ferraz represents the Brazilian firm Yaguarete Porá, which created a storm of controversy last year after satellite photos revealed it was illegally clearing vast areas of forest in western Paraguay. The area is home to the last uncontacted Indians outside of the Amazon basin, who are members of the <a href="../../../../../ayoreo">Ayoreo-Totobiegosode</a> tribe. Sr. Ferraz arrived in Paraguay today as part of his company’s efforts to gain official permission for further forest clearance. But Survival International has today published an advert in Paraguay’s leading newspaper Ultima Hora denouncing the firm’s activities, and urging Paraguayans to protest to their Senator. Yaguarete Porá and another firm, River Plate, both own large parcels of land in western Paraguay that are inside the ancestral territory of the Totobiegosode Indians. Although the Indians have been trying to claim title to their land since 1993, as is their right under Paraguayan law, only a small part has so far been protected. Yaguarete Porá is pushing ahead with plans to deforest two thirds of its land for cattle ranching. It plans to declare the remaining third a ‘private ecological reserve’. Survival’s Director Stephen Corry said today, ‘Yaguarete’s proposal to keep a third of its land as a private ‘reserve’ is clearly intended to disguise the fact that it plans to destroy the other two thirds of the area – some 500 sq km. These plans actually represent one of the gravest threats to uncontacted Indians anywhere in the world.’ <a href="../../../../../files/paraguay_ad_0309.pdf">View a copy of the ad (in Spanish)</a>For more information please contact Miriam Ross at Survival International on (+44) (0)20 7687 8734 or (+44) (0)7504 543 367 or email <a href="mailto:mr@survival-international.org">mr@survival-international.org</a>

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251

2009-03-26T00:00:00+00:00

A Brazilian rancher destroying uncontacted Indians’ land in Paraguay has today arrived in that country to be greeted with a national newspaper advert denouncing his actions as ‘illegal’.

Brazilian rancher greeted by ‘illegal’ advert

4375

2009-03-26T14:45:24+00:00

Controversy over election of indigenous minister

2009-03-11T00:00:00+00:00

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A leading government minister has rejected the election of an indigenous man as Paraguay’s new Minister of Indigenous Affairs. The rejection comes after the government announced that Paraguay’s indigenous peoples could elect the Minister of Indigenous Affairs themselves. The winner of the elections was a Nivakle man named Erasmos Pintos. But Education and Culture minister Horacio Galeano Perrone responded immediately by saying that Pintos would not be appointed minister and that the elections were fraudulent. ‘I was chosen by 1,800 voters. The other candidates have already recognised that I am the winner,’ Pintos was reported to have said in response to Perrone’s comments. Pintos stressed that his election was fair and that he intended to talk to President Lugo and make clear Paraguay’s indigenous peoples’ point of view. The outgoing Minister of Indigenous Affairs, <a href="../../../../../news/3663">Margarita Mbywangi</a>, was the first ever indigenous person to be appointed to the position. She was forced out at the end of last year.

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2009-03-11T00:00:00+00:00

A leading government minister has rejected the election of an indigenous man as Paraguay’s new Minister of Indigenous Affairs.

Controversy over election of indigenous minister

4323

2009-03-11T00:00:00+00:00

'Protect uncontacted tribe's land!' say local groups

2009-03-10T00:00:00+00:00

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A desperate plea for the protection of uncontacted Indians’ land in western Paraguay has been issued by nine local organisations after round-table talks sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme. ‘The presence of the <a href="../../../../../tribes/ayoreo">uncontacted Totobiegosode</a> (in the forest) is proof that it is, and always has been, their land,’ says a statement from the nine organisations. ‘The invasion of that land by a company and its deforestation and destruction constitutes an aggression against the tribe and the appropriation of their property. ‘The Paraguayan state, in accordance with the national constitution and international norms. . . must meet its obligation to return the Totobiegosode’s land to them in one piece, not in fragments,’ the statement says. The Totobiegosode’s land is being destroyed by two Brazilian companies wanting to graze cattle for beef: Yaguarete Pora and River Plate. The number of uncontacted Totobiegosode is unknown, but some of them have relatives who have already been contacted. These Totobiegosode have been trying to protect the last substantial part of their territory since 1993 when they filed a legal claim for 5,500 square kilometres. The nine local organisations include OPIT (the organization of those Totobiegosode who have already been contacted) and GAT, a local support group. Survival director, Stephen Corry, said today, ‘The government must heed the demands of the Totobiegosode and the local organisations working in their support. It must recognise the Totobiegosode as the legal owners of their land and ensure the Brazilian companies can’t work there.’

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A Totobiegosode family immediately following first contact with the outside world in 2004.

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2009-03-10T00:00:00+00:00

'Protect uncontacted tribe's land!' say local groups

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2009-03-10T00:00:00+00:00