Actor and human rights campaigner Richard Gere spoke at
the launch of Uncontacted Indigenous Peoples: at
the edge of survival, the first-ever fully
comprehensive report on uncontacted peoples. It finds that
half will be wiped out within 10 years unless urgent
action is taken.
Survival confirmed there are
196 groups of uncontacted peoples living in 10
countries across the world — and all are
threatened.
Speaking alongside Indigenous leaders,
Gere said:
“How much longer will we in the
industrialized world view them as unfortunate collateral
damage while we plunder their lands for our cars, our
houses, our energy needs, our jewelry, our
entertainment?”
The report, available on the
dedicated website uncontactedpeoples.org,
reveals — after years of rigorous research by Survival —
that more than 96 percent of uncontacted groups face threats
from extractive industries, including logging, mining and
oil and gas drilling.
Lucas Manchineri, of the
Manchineri people of Brazil, spoke forcefully for
uncontacted people whom he calls ‘wary
people’.
“We must support them by telling their
stories and showing the world that uncontacted peoples
haven’t disappeared. They’re here. They’re fighting in
their forest, sometimes silently. We have the spiritual and
political obligation to protect them.”
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Survival’s
research bears out that uncontacted peoples are resisting
colonizing attacks – which is their right under
international law. When their rights are respected, they
survive and thrive.
“Uncontacted peoples are not
passive or ignorant. They know about outsiders, they are
making a choice to reject and resist contact, and they are
powerfully supported by Indigenous neighbors,” said
Caroline Pearce, Survival International’s
director.
Besides long-standing threats to uncontacted
peoples’ lives and territories, such as logging, mining
and ranching, new and emerging threats include social media
influencers who seek to make “first contact” – most
often faked – for content they can monetize. Missionaries,
bankrolled by multi-million-dollar evangelical
organizations, use technology to find and track uncontacted
tribes to convert them to Christianity. Violent criminal
gangs increasingly cultivate and traffic drugs or run
illegal mining operations deep in the Amazon.
Herlin
Odicio, an Indigenous Kakataibo leader from the Ucayali
region in Peru also spoke: “We the Indigenous
organizations are working to defend their land rights.
Because they don’t have people to come out and fight for
themselves. They are being made invisible by the
government.”
Maipatxi Apurinã, a member of the
Pupīkary (Apurinã) people of Brazil summed up: “The
failure to acknowledge the existence of uncontacted peoples
is a huge violation of their rights …Their right to be
protected must exist not only on paper, but in
reality.”
Survival’s report is rooted in 50+ years
of Survival’s experience and research. It is being
published now because the world needs to know urgently about
this silent, ongoing genocide. It’s a wake-up
call.
“I grew up in a country that was built on the
misery of indigenous people – America – and I have
enormous shame about that. A lot of Americans feel that
way.” Gere said at the report launch.
“It was the
wrong thing to do. It was cruel. It was
unnecessary.”
About Survival
International
Survival International is an
independent organization that campaigns for Indigenous
peoples’ rights. It has supporters in more than 100
countries.
From the Awá people in Brazil to the
Shompen of India, Survival’s campaigns have stopped
loggers, expelled miners, and fought to protect Indigenous
peoples’ lands and lives since 1969.
Survival holds
governments to account, pushing them to map out and protect
uncontacted Indigenous territories. We confront the
corporations, criminals and landgrabbers who invade lands,
steal resources, raze forests and destroy
lives.
Survival is the only organization fighting
globally for the survival of all the world’s uncontacted
tribes.
Key Findings of
Uncontacted Indigenous Peoples: at the edge of
survival
The first-ever fully
comprehensive report on uncontacted peoples
worldwide
Survival International reveals — after
years of rigorous research — that there are at
least 196 uncontacted Indigenous groups, living in 10
countries, in South America, Asia, and the Pacific.
The number is the most accurate and up-to-date calculation
ever of uncontacted peoples and groups
worldwide.
Survival’s research concludes
half of the groups could be wiped out within 10
years if governments and companies do not
act.
Uncontacted peoples reject contact as a
deliberate choice in the face of colonizing
attacks – as is their right under international law.
When their rights are respected, they survive and
thrive.
Threats
Industrial
activity such as logging, agribusiness, mining and
road-building destroys forests and Indigenous territories,
pollutes rivers, destroys homes and facilitates colonization
by settlers. The result? Malnutrition, poisoning,
starvation, destruction of communities — even when there
is no direct contact. A single missionary, oil worker or
logger carrying a common disease could wipe out a
population. Violent attacks, including killing, are also
common. Our original research shows:
More than
96 percent of uncontacted groups face threats from
extractive industries, including logging, mining and oil and
gas drilling.
Logging threatens the existence
of 65 percent of uncontacted groups – it is the
most common threat, and a precursor to other exploitation
and destruction.
Mining threatens the
existence of more than 40 percent of uncontacted
groups.
Almost one third of uncontacted people are
threatened by criminal gangs.
Agribusiness threatens
the existence of more than 20 percent of uncontacted groups,
including cattle ranching that is destroying the
Amazon.
38 uncontacted groups face
annihilation by government-endorsed development
projects such as roads, railways and
ports.
One in six uncontacted peoples
are threatened by missionaries trying to convert
them.
Nickel mining for electric vehicle
batteries risks wiping out an uncontacted tribe in
Indonesia.
Climate breakdown and biodiversity
collapse pose a huge threat to people who rely
entirely on healthy forests.
Rising
threats
Social media influencers who seek to
make “first contact” for content they can monetize
through subscribers and advertising.
Missionaries,
bankrolled by multi-million-dollar evangelical
organisations, use the latest technology to find and track
uncontacted tribes to convert them to
Christianity.
Violent criminal gangs grow and traffic
drugs or run illegal mining operations deep in the
Amazon.
Resilience of uncontacted
peoples
Uncontacted people are self-sufficient and
thrive without contact — as long as their lands are
protected and not invaded.
They are the experts on
their forests — drawing everything they need entirely from
their environment.
Groups actively resist contact.
They move deeper into the forest, leave signs or traps, and
some attack outsiders who come near.
Studies show that
many enjoy robust physical health. Recently contacted people
tell us they were happier when they lived in their
forests.
Recommendations
International
law recognizes the rights of all Indigenous peoples,
including those who are uncontacted. But national laws vary
widely in how well they enforce those rights, and
implementation is often weak.
Governments must
implement and enforce laws that protect uncontacted peoples
and their lands. Those who breach these laws must be brought
to justice.
Corporations must recognize the rights and
lands of uncontacted people and ensure that their supply
chains are free of materials sourced from uncontacted
peoples’ territories.
Missionaries must not attempt
any contact.
Speakers at the report
launch:
Richard Gere is a
celebrated actor, producer and human rights
campaigner
Lucas Manchineri is
president of MAPPHA, an organization of the Manchineru
people, who have been monitoring their territory to defend
the uncontacted Mashco Piro people that live
there.
Maipatxi Apurinã is head of
land monitoring at COIAB, the organization of Indigenous
Peoples of the Brazilian Amazon. She is also head of OPIAJ,
the Organization of the Apurina and Jamamadi Indigenous
peoples.
Herlin Odicio is an
Indigenous Kakataibo leader from the Ucayali region in Peru.
He currently serves as vice president of the Regional
Organization AIDESEP Ucayali (ORAU). Herlin has dedicated
his life to protecting the ancestral territories of his
community against the threats of illegal logging, coca
cultivation, and
mining.
