Malaria, tuberculosis, and other infectious-contagious diseases
have claimed the lives of at least 26 Yanomami Indians in recent
months in Brazil, as denounced by officials of the National Health
Foundation, an agency of the Ministry of Health which provides health
services to the Yanomami. The deaths are also being blamed on the
agency itself, because it lacks organization and its health workers
are not adequately trained to assist the Indians. The president of the
agency is trying to deny the news, but its staff says the number of
dead Indians is probably higher.
According to the accusations, the present coordinator of the
National Healh Foundation in Roraima, the state where most Yanomami
live in Brazil, doesn't even "know what malaria is." He sent health
workers to the Indian territory without any basic guidance on the work
they were supposed to carry out there.
OTHER DEATHS
The head of the Federal Police in Roraima, Sidney Lemos, informed
the Diocese in Roraima that four yanomami were killed as a result of
conflicts among the Indians encouraged by miners who invaded the
Indian area. There of them were clubbed to death and one was shot with
a rifle. According to the Federal Police, they were killed on August
9, during a party in a village located in the Xiriana region.
Indians from two other villages came to the party carrying
ammunition and alcoholic beverages to Xiriana which had been provided
by the invaders. The deaths were encouraged by the miners because the
Yanomami living in Xiriana have been denouncing the invasion of the
Indian territory. The deaths were reported by Yanomami Jorge Xiriana.
Federal Police agents were sent to the area and according to officer
Sidney Lemos an investigation will be carried out as soon as FUNAI
(National Indian Foundation) prepares a report on the incident.
The Indianist agency, however, has not confirmed the deaths,
because it claims the accusation is based on the account of a Yanomami
who can barely speak Portuguese. But it confirms the conflicts
encouraged by miners, who often threaten the Indians and officials of
the agency. Miners were also responsible for the massacre of 16
Yanomami one year ago.
Brasi'lia, August 18, 1994
CIMI - Indianist Missionary Council