An operation by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security seized this Saturday (16) the raft of miners that invaded the Xipaya indigenous territory, in Pará, on Wednesday (13). Five adults and two teenagers were on board.
The operation began this Friday (15), with teams from the Federal Police, the National Public Security Force, ICMBio (Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation) and Funai (National Indian Foundation).
The invasion was denounced by the indigenous Juma Xipaia, chief of the Karimaa village. In a report on social media, she said that the invaders used violence against her father, who recorded the movement with a cell phone.
“It was very difficult to locate the ferry, which could not be easily seen from above by helicopters,” said the head of the Service for Repression of Crimes Against Indigenous Communities, PF delegate Paulo Teixeira, in a statement.
“It was necessary to carry out sweeps with speedboats along the tributaries of the Iriri River, and that is why it is a victory to have made the find in practically a day”, he added. The vessel was moored in a place known as Riozinho do Anfrísio, in rural Altamira.
The teenagers who were on board were apprehended and are in the care of justice, the ministry said. The adults were taken to the Itaituba Federal Police station to provide clarification.
“The seized raft will not be destroyed. We are going to adopt the legal procedures so that the equipment is destined for ICMBio’s environmental inspection actions”, said Teixeira.
After the invasion was reported, men from the National Force and the PF were airlifted to the Karimã village to reinforce the tribe’s security, as there were suspicions that the miners were armed.
The Xipaya territory covers an area of approximately 179,000 hectares and is located 400 km from the city of Altamira, in the southeast region of Pará. The villages located in its coverage area are home to around 200 people.
On his social media, Juma said after the invasion that the villagers were afraid of the invaders. “They entered with a supergiant raft. They acted violently with my father. They tried to take his cell phone, because he was filming. Warriors are coming down to ask them to leave the territory,” she said.
