Indigenous people of the Indian National Fund (Funai) Bruno Araújo Pereira and British journalist Dom Phillips, contributors to the newspaper Guardian, Missing this Sunday.5 During a trip to the riverside and indigenous communities in the Amazonas. Pereira has already received many threats For their work against invaders in the Vale do Javari, such as fishermen and loggers. Federal police are investigating the case and The British government has announced that it is in contact with Brazilian authorities. And provide consular support to the Phillips family.
According to the Union of Indigenous Peoples of the Javari Valley (UNIJ) and Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights Watch (OPI), Indigenous Peoples and Reporters went missing. From covering the line between the community of Ribeirinha Sao Rafael and the city. Of Atalaia do Norte. The purpose of the trip was to visit Indigenous Watch groups near Lago do Jaburu and the area around Funai Watchtower so that Phillips could interview members of the local community.
The two, who were traveling in a new ship and had enough fuel for the voyage, arrived on Friday night the 3rd and will return this Sunday the 5th to Atalaia do Norte. Before reaching their destination, according to Univaja and OPI, Pereira and Phillips were in the São Rafael community for a meeting that indigenous people had scheduled with community leaders known as Churrasco. The purpose of the meeting was to “strengthen the joint work between the people along the river and the indigenous peoples to monitor the territory which has been severely affected by the intense aggression.”
According to the unit, information exchanged via SPOT satellite communications confirmed that they were in the community talking to Churrasco’s wife, and when the man was not there, he went to Atalaia do Norte. Should arrive at 9am. Since then, they have been sought.
Due to his experience as an indigenous Pereira, the area is well known, making the assumption that two men are missing is unlikely. Much of his work has focused on working with indigenous peoples to defend their territories, which are frequent targets for invasion.
Univaja reports Indigenous people who know the area searched at two different timesBut no trace of the ship or pair was found. “The latest news of their sighting comes from the community of Sao Gabriel – under São Rafael – with reports that they saw a boat crossing towards Atalaia do Norte.”
Human Rights Watch says it is “deeply concerned” about the situation and the media. Guardian Announced that he was seeking information about Phillips as well as being in contact with the British Embassy in Brazil. In a statement, the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs and Development said it had contacted Brazilian authorities following reports of Phillips’ disappearance and that it was “providing consular assistance to his family”.
Federal police investigating the incident reported that the incident was being investigated by the police station in Tabatinga, Amazonas.
In a statement, Funai said it was in contact with security forces operating in the area and was cooperating with the search. “It should be made clear that even though Indigenous Bruno da Cunha Araújo Pereira is part of the Funai staff, he is not in the area on an institutional mission because he has to take time off to address private interests.”