Brazilian Indians By-Pass Government to Get Help

Brazil: December 30, 2009, (PCTV Newsdesk)

The Indians of the Yavari Valley in northwestern Brazil have issued an invitation for Christian leaders to, come help them in a time of need.

Dr. Dale Kietzman, President of Latin American Indian Ministries (LAIM), told ANS, “Tribal leaders have issued a call for a meeting to take place January 30 to February 4 in an area declared off-limits to non-Indians by the Brazilian government.

“For a quarter of a century, the Valley of the Javari has been declared off-limits by the Brazilian government to any outsider, including missionaries. This was in an attempt to ‘protect’ the Indian tribes there, possibly a dozen tribes, totaling perhaps 6,000 individuals.

“The government Indian agency FUNAI was to provide all necessary services, as well as to police the area. But the Indians have been experiencing continued high death rates from Hepatitis D and Malaria, with no help for the problem forthcoming from government agencies.

Dr. Kietzman said that the Mayoruna chief Raul declared, “I do not hope for the goodwill of the government while my people are dying around me. I will accept help for whomever wants to help us.”

Dr. Kietzman went on to say, “Other Indian leaders agree with this position and have joined in a call for the meeting at the town of Atalaya del Norte, near the juncture of the Javari with the Amazon. They want everyone to ‘hear with their own ears’ the needs of their villages.”

The “call” was spread by e-mail, and a Brazilian organization has offered to pay most of the expenses involved. Travel instructions have been prepared for those coming from abroad, who will fly to the cluster of three Amazonian cities: Iquitos in Peru, Leticia in Colombia or Tabatinga in Brazil. The plans include taking everyone by motorboat up the Javari to spend three nights in a Mayoruna village.

Dr. Kietzman said that the six known tribes in the valley are the Marubo, Mayuruna, Matis, Kulina, Kanimari y Caceteros o Korubos. They, in turn. have identified seven “wild” tribes, which probably are composed of a hundred or so Indians each, living semi-nomadic lives well back within the jungles.

“The hoped for result of the meeting will be the formation of a medical team that would do planning and send in a ‘medical brigade’ at least twice a year to help stem the current medical problem,” concluded Dr. Kietzman.

More information has been posted in a 6 minute video on YouTube: To see it go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TVlo7viEdw

News source: www.assistnews.net