At the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Belém, Brazil, indigenous Amazonians protested and attempted to enter the conference hall, claiming that the Amazon rainforest was being destroyed, resulting in a clash with security personnel.
According to AP and Reuters, dozens of indigenous people rushed to the entrance of the conference hall late in the afternoon on the 11th (local time), shouting, “We cannot sell our land” and “Decisions cannot be made without us.”
The protest progressed to the level of shouting slogans, but some physical fights broke out as security guards quickly closed the door and called in additional personnel. The two sides clashed by throwing plastic containers near the entrance at each other, and some security guards suffered injuries to their abdomen and foreheads after being hit by drumsticks thrown by natives. The clashes calmed down as security guards created a makeshift barricade by stacking tables, and the protesters left the scene.
“We cannot eat money,” said Gilmar, leader of the Tupinamba community in the Tapajós region of the lower Amazon River, who was present at the scene. “We want our land to be free from agribusiness, oil exploration, illegal miners and illegal loggers.”
Brazil, the host country, has emphasized at this meeting that indigenous communities are key players in responding to climate change. However, local indigenous people are expressing dissatisfaction that while the government talks about forest conservation, it is actually pursuing large-scale infrastructure development. Belém, where COP30 is being held, is a city called the ‘gateway to the Amazon.’
Brazil’s leading indigenous leader, Chief Raoni Metuctire, said many members of the indigenous community are dissatisfied with development projects taking place in the Amazon and urged the government to give indigenous peoples the authority to protect the Amazon. Dozens of indigenous representatives from across the South American continent are gathering in Belém to make their voices heard at COP30.
Reporter Eunji Lee
