mortality grows among yanomami
cimi@ax.apc.org
Fri, 5 May 1995 05:51:30 -0500
Newsletter n. 157
MORTALITY GROWS AMONG YANOMAMI
A report prepared by the Indian Council of Roraima (CIR) reveals
alarming data about the health of Yanomami Indians in Brazil. The data
confirm that the Mortality Rate has been growing and that the Birth
Rate has been declining in the last two years. They reflect the
consequences of the acts of violence committed against the Yanomami,
including the Haximu massacre in 1993 and the effect of diseases which
proliferate due to the presence of miners in the region. According to
CIR, the indicators confirm that the present health care available to
the Indian population will not ensure its survival.
According to a census carried out by the National Health
Foundation - DSY- FNS (1995) - in the Yanomami Sanitary District, the
Yanomami are presently made up of 8,268 Indians scattered in 188
communities located in the states of Roraima and Amazonas. In the last
seven years, 2,200 of them (21./. of the population) died. In the
first three months of this year, 39 of them have died already. The
Mortality Rate went up from 14,6./. in 1993 to 18,5./. in 1994. The
Birth Rate, in turn, dropped from 34,9./. in 1993 to 30,2./. in 1994.
Among the diseases that are affecting this people, malaria, which
has been enhanced by the invasion of miners, is the most lethal one
and has contaminated 80./. of the Indians. In the first fortnight of
March 1995, 583 cases of malaria were diagnosed in all the Yanomami
region in the state of Roraima. After malaria, dehydration caused by
infectious diarrhea and acute respiratory diseases are also killing
Indians.
Miners continue to cause damages to the Yanomami, according to
CIR. In some regions, they are acting so boldly that they have
persuaded the Yanomami not to allow the presence of Funai, FNS, and
the Federal Police in their territory. As a result of this poor health
care, the Council believes that the figures mentioned herein have been
underestimated and it asks the public opinion to urge the Brazilian
Government to comply with its duty to provide an adequate health care
and keep the Indian territory free of invasions, while providing basic
guarantees to ensure the survival of the Yanomami.
CIMI highlights that since 1500, often deliberately transmitted
infectious diseases have been one of the main factors leading to the
extermination of Indian peoples in Brazil. According to the Council,
it is hard to believe that even today recently contacted peoples like
the Yanomami are still under the same threat. It is not for lack of
knowledge of the facts. The health problem being faced by the
Yanomami has not been solved due to the lack of political will of the
Brazilian government.
Brasilia, May 3, 1995.
Indianist Missionary Council - CIMI