Suspected Peruvian drug traffickers have destroyed a guard post protecting a recently discovered indigenous tribe in Brazil's Amazon rain forest, the aid group Survival International reports.
Aerial film and still images of the tribe were first shown to the world in February. The Brazilian government's National Indian Foundation established the guard station near the tribe's territory along Brazil's border with Peru to protect the Indians from outsiders.
Survival International said Monday that Brazilian authorities can now find no sign of the tribe.
"We think the Peruvians made the Indians flee. ... We are more worried than ever. This situation could be one of the biggest blows we have ever seen in the protection of uncontacted Indians in recent decades. It’s a catastrophe," Carlos Travassos, the head of Brazil's isolated Indians department, said in a Survival International statement.
Survival International reports the tribe's lands are near the Envira River, which Peruvian cocaine smugglers reportedly use as a route into Brazil.
Brazilian authorities report groups of men armed with machine guns and rifles are in the nearby forest, according to the aid group.
Authorities had recovered a drug trafficker's rucksack with a broken Indian arrow in it, Survival International reported.
"This is extremely distressing news. There is no knowing how many tribal peoples the drug trade has wiped out in the past, but all possible measures should be taken to stop it happening again. The world’s attention should be on these uncontacted Indians, just as it was at the beginning of this year when they were first captured on film," Survival International Director Stephen Corry said in a statement.
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This pic is of my Marvel vs Capcom team: Deadpool, She-Hulk and Spider-Man!
Really sad. These people were just living their lives, oblivious to the chaotic outside world, and then some azz hole in a chopper takes pics and bammo, their lives are over. Good job media, way to destory one of the worlds RAREST treasures.
This whole string of statement is funny: "almost certainly a fake. ...you should check the facts before posting...". In other words, they probably maybe might not exist so anyone who says they do is wrong.
This is not a undiscovered tribe just a uncontacted one, the fake was a few months ago they presented it as a undiscovered one. Judging from this picture however and some of the anthropology classes I have taken it would seem they have war paint on. This tribe only paints themselves during war, if it is the tribe that I am thinking of, so they are fearful of something in the area.
For all you lazy people, Indians are indigenous people of the Americas...this would in fact include North America, Central America...and yes, South America. And the fact that the media is hyping this up isn't helping the situation. Leave the tribe alone and let them live their life. They've survived this long with no outside resources...pretty sure they can handle themselves.
I wonder how well "they will handle themselves" when the drug dealers go -callin' with their moder weaponry against the tribe's arrows and spears. Not to mention diseases they may never have been exposed to. It IS newsworthy AND a grace concern.
@Amused13...do you honestly think they have never seen these drug dealers or people with modern weaponry before? Obviously this argument will never go anywhere because you and I can't prove it, but the jungle has been used to traffic drugs for at least 40 years. They have "war paint" on according to somebody that took "some anthropology classes" so they must have a reason for it, and it's probably something they have worn before because of similar threats. My guess is that they have survived because they know the jungle extremely well and can handle themselves.
Do we really still call these people "Indians"?
Exactly. We are Native Americans. Indians are from India
Recent reference books have defined the term Indian as synonymous with aboriginal or a native of the Americas.
Yes we do!!!!!!!!!!! They are still God's children idiot.
Definition: Of or relating to the indigenous peoples of the Americas. It is not pejorative.
I don't think they are Indians...
fine. Enjoy being wrong.
Yet another reason why drugs should be legal, all this time, money and effort not to mention violence over the stuff. Make it legal and spend a fraction of that on rehab for people that come to their senses. If someone is going to do drugs, they will, there isn't much anyone can do to stop it. Stop spending all our tax dollars on fighting the inevitable and see how much less violence comes from it.
One wonders though if suddenly all the drug traffickers were legitimate business men (which legalize drugs would make them) would they really give up their way of successfully doing business?
Editor – please check your facts, the tribe is in the amazon in South America...Why are they called Indians? Heave they been studied or does this writer know something that is nto stated in the article?
Dear Reader: please use google before you make a fool of yourself. It's one of my best features. Don't worry, this time I did the work for you: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas
What the hell are they!?? They look like X-men characters.
Hey aren't you related to WICK? Wow incest must be rampant in your family!!!
Why are these people called indians? Shouldn't they be Preuvian, Amazonian or Brazilian natives?
I DIDN'T KNOW SPIDERMAN HAD ANY RELATIVES..
Your ignorant!!!!! I guess DUMBA55 still has living relatives.
The world needs to change, the war on drugs in losing
Was gonna post a comment here, but I see this story has already reached its "Godwin's Law" tipping point, so to speak.
Look it up.
that AND abortion. What law is when abortion gets in the mix?!
It's amazing how stupid humans are.
Once again a problem that could have been easily avoided of you weaklings that need drugs would stop using them. Don't say that legalizing is the answer because it's not. The only answer is for you to stop being weak and using drugs in the first place.
Chris, while you are obvious troll.
That statement is so hyocritical.
How about you stop using caffeine, nicotine and alcohol.
However you enjoy being a hypocrite and denying grown, informed, consenting adults from making a choice that effects the bodies nature gave them.
can i get a "w00t. w00t" for denying people freedom of choice!
Hi Bryan,
I don't drink alcohol or coffee and I don't smoke (truly I don't). So quite truthfully I'm not being hypocritical about that.
Thanks for trying though!
Damn! Where's my twinkie?!! i NEED a twinkie!!! Maybe I should rob a bank so I can get a twinkie!!!! Leagalize pot and the world will come to an end from the rash if twinkie thefts!! Ya dope. Hey! Thats a pun! hahahahahaha. Ya know; they have this car?! IT RUNS ON WATER MAN!!! snicker snicker snicker!
I hear ya, Chris! I couldn't agree more!
I totally agree with you Chris. I live in Texas and I recently attended a meeting in which the American military and American detectives stated that about 1,000 people are killed each month in Mexico due to the drug trade. They also stated that any American that buys weed or any kind of drugs, coming from Mexico is responsible and has a hand in the killing of those people. The violence and deaths are escalating and if this pace keeps up, our military will have to go and fight this drug war financed by American drug addicts.