Survival International and Brazil's National Indian Foundation released this image of what they say is an uncontacted tribe in the Amazonian rainforest near the border between Brazil and Peru. You may recall that in 2008, Survival International was the subject of controversy after releasing another photo of an uncontacted tribe. Whether any of these people are uncontacted, undiscovered, or just very isolated concerns me less than that their home is being needlessly annihilated. From AFP:
"Illegal loggers will destroy this indigenous people. It is essential that the Peruvian government stop them before it is too late," warned Survival's director Stephen Corry.
FUNAI has released similar photographs in the past and acknowledged that Peruvian loggers are sending some indigenous people fleeing across the border to less-affected rainforests in Brazil.
The coordinator of Brazil's Amazon Indian organization COIAB, Marcos Apurina, said he hoped the images would draw attention to the plight of the indigenous peoples and encourage their protection.
"It is necessary to reaffirm that these peoples exist, so we support the use of images that prove these facts. These peoples have had their most fundamental rights, particularly their right to life, ignored — it is therefore crucial that we protect them," he said.
"Photos released to protect threatened Amazonians" (Thanks, Bob Pescovitz!)
