Armed illegal gold diggers attack Yanomami Indigenous Land

On the morning of the May 10, armed illegal gold diggers in seven boats attacked indigenous people from the Palimi ú community in the Yanomami Indigenous Land (TI) in the state of Roraima. A video footage shows the shootout, causing the villagers to flee as they sat on the banks of the Uraricoera River. According to local associations, three gold diggers died and five others were wounded by the shootouts, which is not confirmed by the Federal Police. On the next day another attack took place, this time against the Federal Police squad sent to the IT to investigate the case.

According to the detailed investigation by the Amazônia Real portal, the gold diggers responsible for the crime have connections with the criminal organization Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC). In audios obtained by Amazônia Real, a man mentions the presence of the organization in the TI and confirms that armed miners were heading toward the community to “catch the people who stole fuel”.

Junior Hekurari, president of the Yanomami and Ye’kuana Indigenous Health District Council (Considi-Y), told the story that the community believes the attack is a reprisal for the health barrier installed in the territory, positioned so as to block boat traffic towards the mining areas. “The Yanomami have been seizing gasoline, quad bikes, and preventing the gold diggers from getting through, so they are reacting. This was the third shooting attack on the community in 15 days, but in the other times there were no one was injured,” he said.