Uncontacted Amazon Tribes Face Extinction Amid Deforestation and Organized Crime

According to a recent report by Survival International, an Indigenous rights organization, at least 196 uncontacted Indigenous groups are currently facing severe threats across 10 countries, primarily in the Amazon region of South America. The report estimates that nearly 65% of these groups are threatened by logging activities, around 40% by mining operations, and approximately 20% by agribusiness expansion.

Fiona Watson, Survival's research and advocacy director, describes the situation as "silent genocides" happening out of public view, with little effective state protection for these isolated communities. She warns that without immediate action by governments and companies, around half of these uncontacted groups could be wiped out within the next 10 years.

These Indigenous peoples, who deliberately avoid contact with the outside world after generations of violence, slavery, and disease, play a crucial role in maintaining the Amazon's vital forests, which are essential in the global fight against climate change. Experts argue that their survival is not just a human rights issue, but a matter that affects the entire planet.

The report calls for stronger legal recognition and enforcement of Indigenous territories, as well as greater corporate and consumer responsibility to ensure supply chains do not contribute to the destruction of these communities' lands. Advocates say a shift in public perception is also needed, to view uncontacted groups not as relics of the past, but as contemporary societies with invaluable knowledge and a right to self-determination.