Today is an international day of rebellion and solidarity to sound the alarm on the impact of Covid-19 in indigenous communities across Brazil.

To date, more than 21,000 indigenous lives have been harmed by coronavirus in Brazil, with more than 600 lives lost. The APIB (Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil) is a bottom up mobilization of Indigenous peoples across Brazil, with the purpose of strengthening the unity of indigenous peoples and mobilising against threats and aggressions against indigenous rights.

The alarming situation rapidly grows more serious every day, because in addition to the threat of the virus, are the threats of racism, illegal deforestation, criminal networks, mining companies, missionaries, and big corporations that continue to advance ever deeper into the indigenous territories of Brazil.

This increase of violence and loss of life is part of an indigenous genocide – the loss of thousands of years of cultural history and irreplaceable wisdom passed on through generations.

“It’s not just a number. Each indigenous body holds an ancestral enchantment. For each indigenous person who dies, part of our collective history dies too” Celia Xakriaba, APIB

These vulnerable APIB communities are also at the forefront of the global climate and ecological emergency, as they continue to fight against both genocide and ecocide for life.

These frontline earth defenders understand that all emergencies are interconnected to each other, and to a broken system disconnected from nature.

Meanwhile business-as-usual continues to threaten all the habitats, wildlife and ecosystems the APIB communities live in harmony with and try to protect from a broken system prioritising profit over people and planet, and deforesting the Amazon.

The APIB, Extinction Rebellion UK, XR Internationalist Solidarity Network, HS2 Rebelliom and Snowflakes affinity group have joined forces to create an action to raise the alarm bells to this #Indigenous Emergency whilst raising much needed medical funds. This is one action in a global call to action happening around the world on this day of solidarity with the APIB peoples.

The action also happens to fall on the ‘International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples’, and the one year anniversary of the Snowflakes Brazilian Embassy Action to highlight genocide and ecocide and marks the six month anniversary of the death of Earth Protector/Rebel/Snowflake/Zoologist and friend – Iggy Fox.

The action also marks the death of an ancient Alder Tree which was recently violently felled by HS2 at Denham Wildlife Protection Camp, Uxbridge. Protesters risk their lives trying to stop HS2 – one of the biggest ecocidal infrastructure projects in UK history and the largest in Europe, affecting 108 ancient British woodlands.

“We take action not just in symbolic solidarity with our siblings, but also put our lives on the line directly protecting our heritage in the ancient woodlands and habitats threatened to be destroyed in acts of ecocide for money.” – Tommy Lazer Crowe , activist, environmentalist and snowflake.

What’s left of the ancient Alder tree will be present at the action symbolising ecocide – the loss of all amazon life protected by APIB people whilst also reminding us there is ecocide on our doorsteps here in the UK every day.

Snowflake Swan “this action to me symbolises the fragility of life, the reminder of not one but two global emergencies and their interconnection to one another, it pushes us to realise the connections we may or may not have with nature, most importantly it shows and embodied solidarity and climate justice for all life.” Swan

“When I sat on the line, protecting the Alder tree I wasn’t thinking about myself or the risk of my life, because all our lives are currently on the line as the planet warms ever hotter, especially the most vulnerable of communities, especially our friends on the front line of the ecological emergency and especially those species that have no voice or choice in the matter” Swan

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice for us all, far too many injustices in this modern world, far too much work for us the youth.” Lautaro Illayux ‘m, ISN, Global Youth planet repair Fronts, Muisca heritage originarian community, Paramos de low Andes, Colombia.

The international and online solidarity actions are a response to the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil, APIB’s appeal for national and international support to raise funds to assist those affected with Covid-19. APIB is also promoting an online mobilization as part of the coordinated actions today which will feature live-streams from Brazilian indigenous leaders and artists.

The APIB, together with its grassroots organizations, continues to stand firm in it’s ancestral resistance and has drawn up a plan to confront the Covid-19 pandemic.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•