Yanomami man dies after being run over by airplane from illegal gold diggers

On July 28, Edgar Yanomami, from the Indigenous Land Yanomami, was killed after being run over by an illegal gold digger’s airplane on an airstrip in the community of Homoxi. The man was 25 years old and died instantly. The Indigenous Land in the state of Roraima is being targeted by illegal miners in search of gold.

Júnior Hekurari Yanomami, president of the Yanomami and Ye’kuanna Indigenous Health Council (Condisi-YY), confirmed the information. According to the G1 website, Funai, the federal institute for indigenous peoples said in a statement that it had no knowledge of the killing.

A few days before the assassination, Condisi-YY denounced a new attack by illegal gold diggers in the community of Palimiú, a region that is under constant attack by the criminals. According to Hekurari, they fear extermination. “The miners have threatened that they will enter the community, kill everyone and burn the houses. They even sent a message to the Yanomami, through another subgroup, that they have to leave the community, otherwise they will come with everyone. They are going to attack with more than 100, 200 men. The issue is very serious”, he declared.  The leader also reinforced the urgent need for the installation of a barrier in the community by the federal government to contain the access of criminals to the territory.