European protests to stop bulldozers on uncontacted tribe's land
January 26, 2010
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Protestors gathered in London, Madrid and Paris today to oppose the destruction of land belonging to one of the world’s last uncontacted tribes.
The protestors stood outside the Paraguayan embassies in Madrid and London holding placards reading, ‘Save the Ayoreo.’ The Ayoreo-Totobiegosode are losing their forest to a Brazilian company bulldozing it to graze cattle for beef.
In Paris, a letter was handed in to UNESCO’s head office expressing their concern for the Totobiegosode. The forest being destroyed by the cattle-ranchers is part of a UNESCO ‘biosphere reserve’, but despite pleas from the Totobiegosode to stop the destruction UNESCO has yet to respond.
The company, Yaguarete Pora S.A., recently won Survival’s ‘Greenwashing Award 2010’ for its decision to create a ‘nature reserve’ on the Totobiegosode’s land while destroying thousands of hectares of their forest. Yaguarete denies it is acting illegally and claims the land it is destroying does not belong to the Totobiegosode, despite the fact that many studies prove it belongs to them and a legal claim made by the Totobiegosode is based on one of those studies.
See the company’s deforestation plans.
Satellite photos clearly show the destruction of the Totobiegosode’s forest. They are the only uncontacted tribe in the world losing their land to beef.
Survival director, Stephen Corry, said today, ‘People all over the world are beginning to wake up to what is happening to the Totobiegosode. Paraguay risks being more famous for this tragedy than anything else.’
Click to download hi-res images
London protest urging action by the Paraguayan government at its embassy in Kensington. © Marc Cowan
London protest urging action by the Paraguayan government at its embassy in Kensington. © Marc Cowan
Madrid protest urging action by the Paraguayan government.
© Iñaki Luis/Survival
Madrid protest urging action on the plight of the Ayoreo by the Paraguayan government. © Aitana Luis/Survival
Paris protest urging action by the Paraguayan government.
© Survival
