- Title: Hundreds killed in Brazil's Amazon over land, resources in past decade -report
- Date: 17th September 2019
- Summary: URUARA, PARA STATE, BRAZIL (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS, NIGHT SHOTS OF FIRES BURNING IN FOREST ANAPU, PARA STATE, BRAZIL (RECENT) (REUTERS) (MUTE) VARIOUS, AERIAL VIEWS OF DEFORESTED AREA SAO PAULO, BRAZIL (SEPTEMBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH EMPLOYEES PRESENTING REPORT (SOUNDBITE) (English) HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH SENIOR INVESTIGATOR, CESAR MUNOZ, SAYING: "We spent almost two years doing research in the Amazon and across the Amazon looking at who is driving the deforestation and the violence. And, what we found is that criminal networks are driving the destruction of the forest, and also are responsible for threats, intimidation and attacks against anybody who stands in their way, including environmental law enforcement agents, indigenous people, and local residents who report illegal logging to the authorities." ANAPU, PARA STATE, BRAZIL (RECENT) (REUTERS) (MUTE) AERIAL VIEW OF DEFORESTED AREA VARIOUS, AERIAL VIEWS OF LOGS STACKED SAO PAULO, BRAZIL (SEPTEMBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH SENIOR INVESTIGATOR, CESAR MUNOZ, SAYING: "The available data show that there were more than 300 cases of killings in the Amazon in conflicts over land and natural resources in the last decade, and only 14 of those went to trial, so this really shows the level of impunity that authorities on the ground recognise." AGUA BOA, MATO GROSSO STATE, BRAZIL (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS, FIRES BURNING IN TREES AND BRUSH FIRES SEEN BURNING IN FIELD URUARA, PARA STATE, BRAZIL (RECENT) (REUTERS) (MUTE) VARIOUS, AERIAL VIEWS OF DEFORESTED AREA
- Embargoed: 1st October 2019 17:41
- Keywords: resources land Brazil deforestation criminals conflicts rainforest intimidation killed fires threats environment Amazon
- Location: SAO PAULO, URUARA & ANAPU, PARA STATE & AGUA BOA, MATO GROSSO STATE, BRAZIL
- City: SAO PAULO, URUARA & ANAPU, PARA STATE & AGUA BOA, MATO GROSSO STATE, BRAZIL
- Country: Brazil
- Topics: Environment,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA001AX1RZ9J
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A Human Rights Watch report on Tuesday (September 17) found that more than 300 people have been killed over the past decade in conflicts over the use of land and resources in the Amazon, many by organised criminal networks profiting from illegal deforestation.
Of those cases, only 14 were tried in court, the non-profit said the report was based on 170 interviews.
"This really shows the level of impunity," Cesar Munoz, a senior investigator at Human Rights Watch told Reuters on the sidelines of an event in Sao Paulo to discuss the report.
About 60% of the Amazon rainforest, considered a crucial barrier against climate change, lies in Brazil. Destruction of the forest has surged this year, and the highest number of fires since 2010 has drawn worldwide condemnation of the policies of President Jair Bolsonaro, who advocates opening the Amazon to development.
Human Rights Watch travelled to several Brazilian states between 2017 and the first half of this year to research the report, which showed that almost half of the murders linked to deforestation took place in the Northern state of Para.
Bolsonaro has weakened Brazil's environmental enforcement agency Ibama, cut its budget by 25% and restricted the ability of field agents to torch the equipment of those found committing environmental crimes, Reuters has reported.
(Production: Pablo Garcia) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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