Security forces deployed, but Indigenous groups say presence temporary while threats permanent
The Ashaninka Indigenous people live in a territory that straddles the border between Brazil and Peru. They recovered their land from settlers approximately 30 years ago and since then have sustained their own governance, grown crops and protected the surrounding forest, according to the Associated Press. The community has long been regarded as a success story for Indigenous territorial management across the Amazon.
Now, according to the AP, that way of life is under a violent threat. Gangs and drug traffickers are increasingly encroaching on Ashaninka land and using the rivers in the Amazon and adjacent areas as drug routes, the AP reported. Ashaninka leaders said they have reported violent episodes — including incidents as recent as this month — and requested protection.
The leaders met with Brazilian officials in the capital, Brasília, on Thursday, according to the AP, where they asked for protection. Brazilian security forces have been deployed to the affected area, the report said.
However, various Indigenous groups in the region said that security force deployments are usually temporary, while the threats from criminal organizations remain permanent. The groups said the pattern of short-term security presence leaves communities vulnerable after forces withdraw.