Indigenous Organization of the Kayapó do Baú – OIB

Mobilize indigenous leaders and Kayapó Indigenous communities of Baú and of Mekrangnotire to combat existing mining prospecting activities, both within and outside of indigenous lands, especially on the banks of the Curuá River and cause environmental competent authorities to fulfil their duties in fighting combating environmental crimes and crimes against humanity.

Perform a survey on the main mining sites linked to the contamination of the Curuá River.

Inform the Public Ministry, Ibama, Sema, ICMbio, Funai and the Federal Police, demanding their intervention to fight potentially polluting activities.

Conduct a meeting with indigenous leaders to discuss the problems and define strategies towards addressing and fighting exploitation.

Occupation and demonstration of indigenous leaders regarding the exploration of minerals, in order to draw government’s attention.

Disclose the problem through the local and national press.

Since the 1990s the indigenous communities, particularly the people from Baú land suffer the consequences of the Curuá River contamination from gold mining activities carried out by mining companies and cooperatives located in the Castelo dos Sonhos District, southeast of Pará. Curuá is the main River in the Baú indigenous land and provides a large aquatic biodiversity of which the Indians are dependent for survival and for the whole cycle of their traditional life.

The rights of indigenous peoples are violated by serious environmental damage, modification of natural landscapes and especially contamination of the entire length of the River. Currently indigenous people face health-related problems, such as the constant presence of malaria, dengue, diarrhea, worm infections and high infant mortality rate. This situation has worsened with the megaproject proposed by the federal government to pave BR 163- Cuiabá/Santarém road causing the migration of a great amount of people from other regions, deforestation of large areas for extensive cattle ranching, grain production such as soybeans, rice and, finally, the expansion of the mining industry.

Since 2012, the organization works with indigenous communities of Baú, in partnership with the Tapieté Indigenous Community Association. It promotes the development of socio-economic activities of collective and self-sustainable nature, empowering the indigenous people; defends the territorial and cultural heritage of the Kayapo Indigenous People; assists them judicially and extra judicially to defend their rights and interests in face of public and private bodies; promotes rational and sustainable means of plant extraction; develops initiatives that result in the improvement of their lives.

Steering Committee of the Xingu Indigenous Fund (FIX).
Member of the Management Committee of Brazil FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council / Forest Stewardship Council.