A Peruvian tribe has killed two loggers who were working on their ancestral land.
The Mashco Piro indigenous tribe live deep in the Amazon rainforest and are uncontacted - meaning they have no contact with modern society or other tribes.
The Peruvian Government has granted logging permits to several companies in the area and there are fears there could be yet more violence.
“There was a similar conflict about a month ago towards the end of July where one logger was wounded,” Survival International spokesperson Fiona Watson told Moncrieff.
“So, we’re very concerned that there’s a kind of escalation in the conflict and very soon there could be another one - unless the Government acts very soon.”
? BREAKING: The #Uncontacted Mashco Piro defend their territory, two dead ?
2 loggers are dead, one’s injured & 2 are missing after an encounter with uncontacted Mashco Piro, members of the same Indigenous tribe whose images broadcast by Survival went around the world in July. pic.twitter.com/NwA7Pf2hfI
— Survival International (@Survival) September 4, 2024
Ms Watson said authorities need to be more respectful of indigenous tribes’ ancestral land and provide them with greater protection in law.
“The problem is that some years ago, the Peruvian authorities - because of campaigning by local indigenous organisations - recognised only a part of the Mashco Piro’s territory - roughly a third,” she said.
“The rest of the territory, they’ve handed out in logging concessions and this is exactly why there is conflict.”
Logging is destroying the uncontacted #MashcoPiro people’s territory - and the Peruvian government is letting it happen!@presidenciaperu @MinCulturaPe @LeslieUrteaga @pcmperu @SPCM_Peru @MinjusDH_Peru @MidisPeru @MimpPeru @MinamPeru @cvasquezsanchez @Minsa_Peru @mininterperu pic.twitter.com/CqD8Ne4Bdq
— Survival International (@Survival) August 28, 2024
Ms Watson said they “don’t seem to be doing anything” to address the situation and there is only one solution to the problem.
“Until they cancel these logging concessions on the indigenous people’s land, there’s going to be more conflict,” she said.
“The other big danger is one of disease; the Mashco Piro are uncontacted - that means they have no relations or interactions with neighbouring tribes and national society.
“So, they’re very susceptible to disease. Something like flu - which wouldn’t be a big deal for you and me - could wipe these people out very quickly.”
Despite this, Ms Watson said she is hopeful the Government will expand the tribe’s protection amid a passionate campaign from indigenous activists.
“I think what’s changing things is the campaign by indigenous organisations in Peru who’ve been very active in defence of what they call their brothers and sisters,” she said.
Across the world, there are thought to be around 100 uncontacted tribes.
Main image: An indigenous tribe. Picture by: Alamy.com
