Sos for the indigenous peoples of the Amazon. The appeal was launched by Sebastiao salgado, one of the most famous and awarded photographers of our time.
The Franco-Brazilian artist, together with his wife Lelia Wanick, addressed to the Government, Congress and the Supreme Court of Brazil so that measures are taken to prevent the virus from destroying entire indigenous populations to which the photographer is very close.
Over the past decade, Salgado has worked closely with these tribes, documenting the destruction of the Amazon rainforest, creating a photographic project that will be exhibited in world preview, in 2021, at MAXX, the museum of contemporary art in Rome.
The appeal to the Brazilian government and the international community will also be renewed during the social meeting between Salgado and Giovanna Melandri, President of the MAXXI Foundation and signatory of the appeal, scheduled for Saturday 9 May at 15 pm and visible on all MAXXI social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Linkedln and Telegram).
A petition that in a short time has collected more than 22 thousand signatures, including well-known names from the world of science, entertainment and institutions from all over the world: Renzo Piano, Ai Weiwei, Mario Vargas Llosa, Norman Foster, Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey , Pedro Almodovar, Brad Pitt, Richard Gere, Paul McCartney, Madonna and many more.
“These indigenous peoples are part of the extraordinary history of our species. Their disappearance would be an extreme tragedy for Brazil and an immense loss for humanity”.
Salgado gets straight to the point, bluntly. In the video made by director Fernando Meirelles for the Contrasto agency, about twenty photos taken by the artist himself follow one another.
"Today the Brazilian Indians risk genocide - Salgado continues in the video - Their communities are among those most in danger due to low immune defenses, both for isolated life in remote places and for practically non-existent access to health facilities".
The pandemic has spread like wildfire around the world, but in Brazil it caused more than 7 thousand victims, arriving in areas such as Manaus, where there is no more space in cemeteries and mass graves are being dug for burials.
After the fires, the poisoned rivers and the invasion of the lands, the indigenous population of the Amazon finds itself fighting against an invisible but lethal enemy: Covid-19. And according to the Brazilian bishops, the humanitarian tragedy that is unfolding is emphasized by the abandonment of the national political authorities.
Since Bolsonaro's far right has risen to power, the situation has degenerated: controls on economic exploitation have been reduced, at the same time, however, mining and agricultural interests have been favored and the rights of indigenous peoples limited in favor of multinational interests.
A story destined to repeat itself. Like when the European colonizers arrived on the new continent bringing diseases that decimated the natives. Now, these peoples are pressed by influential groups who would like to exploit their economic resources or deforest them to favor breeding and agriculture.
All of this has intensified in recent weeks, due to the pandemic: miners, loggers and cattle ranchers invaded the territories reserved by law for these tribes, bringing the virus among them. These illegal activities are now out of control and in the absence of a basic health system and sanitation, these peoples find themselves without adequate protection.
Even if it doesn't affect us directly, it is a threat that affects the whole world: as the survival of the guardians of the rainforest is essential to maintain life on our planet and also constitutes the best chance to mitigate climate change.
“What is happening to the guardians of the lungs of the world is a horror – as Giovanna Melandri also underlined – The virus has united the world: it is clear that we must all take care of what happens far from us. And there, in the green heart of the world, a genocide risks taking place".
