Indigenous Communities Call for Action Against Expanding Organized Crime in the Amazon

Indigenous organisations in the Amazon are sending a letter to the UN, detailing how organized crime threatens their communities and ecosystems. They caution against militarized responses, highlighting the adverse effects of illegal mining, logging, and drug trafficking, while advocating for strengthened territorial protections and Indigenous rights.

Indigenous organizations across the Amazon are set to send a compelling letter to the United Nations, warning of the dire consequences posed by organized crime within their territories. The letter addresses the destructive impact of illegal mining, drug trafficking, and logging on rainforest communities, urging care against deploying heavily militarized responses.

Highlighting the growing reach of criminal networks in the Amazon and other Indigenous lands in Latin America, the signatories underscore the threats these pose to local ecosystems and governance. This appeal reflects an escalating urgency among Indigenous communities who have long served as custodians of some of the world's most biodiverse ecosystems.

As crime spreads, Indigenous voices call for alternatives, emphasizing territorial protection and Indigenous rights over sheer military might. The document, representing multiple Indigenous and international advocacy groups, advocates for a UN-conducted study on organized crime in Indigenous regions and urges the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives in developing anti-crime policies.