What a way to start 2014!

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Published on Monday, 20 January 2014 16:48

Written by editor

What a way to start the new year!

Thanks to your energy, enthusiasm and generosity, we can already celebrate two extraordinary successes in 2014.

Just one week after the Brazilian army started a massive operation to remove loggers and ranchers from the Awá tribe's lands, we've had another huge victory: the Indian government has blocked a mine that would have devastated the Dongria Kondh tribe.

Vedanta Resources, a British mining giant, was so confident the mine would go ahead it even built a $1billion refinery at the foot of the Dongria's hills. But after a huge campaign involving the Dongria, their Indian supporters and Survival International, the project has been scrapped.

These two stunning achievements are together a wonderful illustration of how ordinary people around the world, mobilized by highly-focused campaigns, can achieve victories no-one would have thought possible.

On behalf of the Dongria and the Awá, THANK YOU.

Stephen Corry
Director

P.S. Elsewhere, sadly, tribal people continue to be persecuted: in Botswana, we've just had reports of a young Bushman being beaten up and detained by paramilitary police, who accused him of hunting. It's just the latest incident in a relentless history of bullying tactics to drive the Bushmen from their land.

Your action and donations have helped secure the future of the Awá and the Dongria Kondh – with more help we can achieve similar success for Africa's last hunting Bushmen.

Please join our boycott of tourism to Botswana, and make a donation to support our work.