World’s Most Threatened Awá Tribe Demands Action to Halt Illegal Logging

As the Amazon's logging season starts, the earth's most threatened Awá tribe has made a desperate appeal for the Brazilian government to halt the illegal logging that is ravaging its territory.

The Awá tribe already suffers the fastest rate of deforestation in the Amazon, and the start of the dry season has in previous years brought a huge upsurge in illegal loggers.

The Awá's urgent message pleads with Brazil's Minister of Justice to "evict loggers from our land immediately... before they come back and destroy everything."

Human rights organization Survival International has initiated a campaign to save the Awá tribe. Survival is urging people to support the Awá by messaging Brazil's Minister of Justice.

The campaign has already generated over 27,000 messages to Brazil's justice minister, calling for him to remove all invaders. It has also prompted Maranhao state's public prosecutor to order an investigation into those responsible for invading Awá land, and to demand they are brought to justice.

However, thousands of illegal loggers are still believed to be operating in the area. Since Colin Firth launched Survival's campaign nearly six weeks ago, Brazil's indigenous rights organization CIMI has shared the film with members of the Awá.

In his appeal Colin Firth says: "The Awá's forest is being illegally cut for timber. When the loggers see them, they kill them. Their bows and arrows are no match for guns. And at any other time in history, that's where it would end. Another people wiped off the face of the earth, forever. But we're going to make sure the world doesn't let that happen."

One Awá man reportedly reacted by saying: "Very good, non-Indians, what you're doing is really important, and really good! Help us as fast as you can. Send lots of messages [to the minister]."

"The Awá may only number around 450 people, but in a short time their cause has become global news. Brazil's government must stop ignoring the Awá, and put them at the top of its agenda. The start of the logging season is a critical time. Pressure must not cease," Survival's Director Stephen Corry stated.