Mass suicide among Brazilian indians

Joaquim Moura (mailto:joaquim.moura@PERSOCOM.COM.BR)
Tue, 4 Feb 1997 01:43:43 +0000 

Message-ID:  <19970204014342379.AAA45@smtp.persocom.com.br>
Date:         Tue, 4 Feb 1997 01:43:43 +0000
From: Joaquim Moura <mailto:joaquim.moura@PERSOCOM.COM.BR>
Subject:      Mass suicide among Brazilian indians
To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU


Also in Brazil the Guarany Indians are committing suicide at levels that are
surprising the authorities but nobody does anything to relieve their pain of
being transformed from lords of the jungle and of their universe into
toothless mendicants and prostitutes. There are still some few tribes in
Brazil that never were touched by the white men. No contacted at all, deep
in the jungle. Do you think that we should endeavor our best efforts to
contact them or should we let them there, while we/they can??




>        In fact, just today I learned that the U-Wa of Columbia have issued

a statement
>informing the world of their intention to commit mass suicide if the Columbian

>government allows the US Occidental Oil Co. to explore for oil in their native

>lands.  The U-Wa have seen the devastation wreaked by the oil industry in S.

>America, and the 4,000 U-Wa would rather commit suicide than be a part of the

>continued despoilation of their forests.  The U-Wa chief issued his appeal

for help
>from the international community "so that they can help the white man

understand
>the meaning of the life of the people and animals who live on tribal

lands."  Even
>though the U-Wa stand to make millions of dollars from the sale of oil from

their
>lands, they would rather seek to exist than despoil their world for money.

If you
>ask me, we need more people to take their stand.....

>

>

>B. Diamond

>

_____________________________________________________________
Joaquim Moura


 Companheiros das Americas / Partners of the Americas
    Comite Brasilia - Washington D.C. / Committee
       Comissao de Desenvolvimento da Juventude e da Cidadania /
       Youth and Citizenship Development Commission
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