Funai (National Indian Foundation) indigenist Bruno Araújo Pereira and English journalist Dom Phillips, a Guardian contributor based in Brazil, have been missing since Sunday (5). They were traveling together through Vale do Javari, in Amazonas, and were last seen in the community of São Rafael.
The Federal Police were called to investigate the disappearance. Bruno and Dom were returning from Lago do Jaburu, where they visited a Funai base. “Then they left for Atalaia do Norte, a trip that takes approximately two hours. Thus, they should have arrived at around 8:00 am, 9:00 am in the city, which did not happen”, says a statement from Unijava (União dos Povos Indígenas do Vale do Javari) and Opi (Observatory for the Human Rights of Isolated and Recently Contacted Indigenous Peoples).
Dom, who lives in Salvador, is a journalist specializing in environmental coverage. Guardian editor Jonathan Watts said his disappearance follows “death threats to his fellow indigenist”, Bruno.
On social media, netizens demand action from the authorities. In particular, journalists are going to the networks to express concern about their colleague and point out that Vale do Javari has a history of invasions by illegal mining, as well as emphasizing that Bruno received threats from these criminal groups.
Colleagues by profession also point out that Dom is a journalist who is critical of the illegal exploitation of the Amazon and that he has also been the target of threats by illegal loggers and miners.
In a recent post, journalist Eliane Brum says that the Federal Police has not yet started the search for Bruno and Dom, who are, according to her, in charge of indigenous people who live in the region.
The Guardian’s editor took to Twitter to translate information provided by Brum, who is also a journalist with extensive coverage of the environment.
The question “Where are Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira?” begins to gain adhesion on the networks in the early afternoon of this Monday (6).
