Chief Raoni's Plea: Protecting the Amazon for Future Generations

At 93, Chief Raoni Metuktire urges Brazil to empower Indigenous peoples to protect the Amazon. He warns against infrastructure plans threatening the rainforest and its inhabitants. Participating at COP30, he calls for legal land protections and criticizes ongoing projects, urging preservation for future generations.

Indigenous leader Raoni Metuktire, at the age of 93, is advocating for Brazil to empower native peoples as custodians of the Amazon rainforest. He warns that infrastructure development projects pose a serious threat to the forest's survival and the well-being of its inhabitants.

During a recent exclusive interview with Reuters, Chief Raoni expressed his concerns over proposed highways, rail projects, and oil wells. These developments, he warned, could have detrimental effects globally. "These projects destroy rivers and lands," Raoni stated, urging reflection on their long-term impact, translated through his grandson.

With no immediate response from President Luiz Inacio's administration, Raoni calls for Indigenous inclusion in forest management decisions. He criticizes Brazil's infrastructure plans and urges President Lula da Silva to provide legal protections for tribal lands, emphasizing the future of new generations and global environmental health.

(With inputs from agencies.)