Overnight, Brazil’s Federal Police have confirmed that Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira have been murdered following a confession by two men under arrest and the location of human remains.
Responding to the news, Pat Venditti, executive director of Greenpeace UK said:
“We are shocked and saddened beyond words by this devastating news, and our hearts and thoughts are with the families and friends of Bruno and Dom.
“These brave, passionate and determined men were murdered while doing their vital work of shining a light on the daily threats Indigenous Peoples in Brazil face as they defend their land and their rights. The murders were the latest in a growing series of brutal attacks against environmental defenders and Indigenous communities that have turned the Amazon into a vast crime scene.
“President Bolsonaro’s words and actions have given political and moral licence for predatory activities in and around Indigenous lands. What little protections remain for the forests and their peoples are rarely enforced. Illegal loggers, ranchers and miners know they can operate with almost total impunity with the only remaining consequence likely to be their exposure in the press.
“Enough is enough. The world must wake up and take every step to bring the intolerable violence and repression happening in the Amazon to an end. The greatest tribute we can pay Dom and Bruno now is to continue their vital work until all of Brazil’s peoples and their forests are fully protected.”