This archive report was first published on 30 July 2019.
On July 29, 2019, the body of an indigenous leader was found in a river in Amapa state, Brazil, sparking a probe by local police.
The investigation also involves reports of a group of heavily armed miners, known as garimpeiros, overrunning a village in the same area on July 26.
The Waiapi tribe's territory, where the incident occurred, is rich in gold, manganese, iron, and copper, and has faced growing pressure from miners, ranchers, and loggers under the far-right government of President Jair Bolsonaro.
On July 27, Bolsonaro called for the international community to help exploit the 'absurd quantity of minerals' in the Amazon rainforest.
Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, condemned the murder as 'tragic and reprehensible' and linked it to the pro-mining policies of Bolsonaro's government.
'It is also a disturbing symptom of the growing problem of encroachment on indigenous land -- especially forests -- by miners, loggers, and farmers in Brazil,' she added.
However, Bolsonaro denied any strong evidence of murder, stating 'the information so far shows no strong evidence that this Indian was murdered.'
Investigators later appeared to walk back on earlier statements, describing the death as a 'crime' that may have been committed by garimpeiros, hunters, or other indigenous people.
Survival International director Stephen Corry blamed Bolsonaro's comments on opening up indigenous territories to mining for 'emboldening illegal goldminers and other invaders.'
'He has virtually declared war on Brazil's indigenous peoples,' Corry said.
