Technology Used to Report Environmental Crime in Brazil
2022-05-09
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1Native groups in Brazil's Amazon rainforest area are increasingly using the internet to share evidence of environmental crimes.
2These groups are using phones, video cameras and social media to share information with the public.
3They want to increase pressure on officials to answer their concerns quickly.
4Until recently, indigenous communities often used radio to send their calls for help.
5These calls were shared with the media and the public by environmental and indigenous rights groups.
6Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has criticized these non-profit groups.
7Bolsonaro supports legalizing mining and land leasing in protected indigenous areas.
8But video and photos coming directly from indigenous people have been getting attention.
9This is forcing officials and the public to deal with what is happening.
10Nara Baré is head of the group Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon.
11She said, "When used properly, technology helps a lot in real-time monitoring and denouncing."
12Communications connectivity is not only helping with reporting information on social media.
13Brazil's Federal Prosecutor's Office has set up a website to register reported crimes and receive uploaded visual material.
14In the past, people in distant communities had to make a long and costly trip to the nearest city that had a federal prosecutor's office.
15Xipaia territory is part of a rainforest area known as Terra do Meio.
16It has many indigenous and traditional river communities.
17Internet connections were not common until 2020.
18That is when several non-profit groups, including Health in Harmony and the Socio-environmental Institute, financed the building of 17 antennae throughout the large area.
19Marcelo Salazar is Health in Harmony's Brazil program coordinator.
20He said, "The internet makes it easier for health, education, and forest economy issues."
21Fighting environmental crime is an added benefit, he said.
22Four out of five Xipaia communities are now connected to communications services.
23About 1,300 kilometers to the west, in the Amazonian state of Rondonia, internet service let the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau people take classes in photography and video so they could record deforestation.
24A three-day training class in 2020 was held on Zoom.
25The effort produced the documentary film The Territory.
26The movie won awards at this year's Sundance Film Festival, Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival and others.
27Throughout its production, American director Alex Pritz used WhatsApp to communicate with his newly trained camera operators.
28Bolsonaro's promises to legalize mining and other activities on indigenous lands in the Amazon have led more people to go to those areas.
29Indigenous and environmental groups estimate there are 20,000 illegal miners in Yanomami territory.
30It is an area about the size of Portugal in northern Brazil.
31Bolsonaro's government says that there are 3,500 miners there.
32Some worry that indigenous groups like the Xipaia will not be the only ones aided by greater internet availability in the Amazon area.
33 Illegal miners sometimes work with local indigenous leaders, communicating secretly on messaging apps.
34The information can help miners hide heavy machinery or let them know about upcoming raids by law enforcement officials.
35Roraima state is home to most of the Yanomami territory.
36The AP contacted one internet provider that offers Wi-Fi to an illegal gold mine for $2,600, plus $690 per month.
37Salazar, of Health in Harmony, described increased internet availability as "a double-edged sword," meaning a situation that has both good and harmful effects.
38I'm John Russell.
1Native groups in Brazil's Amazon rainforest area are increasingly using the internet to share evidence of environmental crimes. 2These groups are using phones, video cameras and social media to share information with the public. They want to increase pressure on officials to answer their concerns quickly. 3Until recently, indigenous communities often used radio to send their calls for help. These calls were shared with the media and the public by environmental and indigenous rights groups. 4Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has criticized these non-profit groups. Bolsonaro supports legalizing mining and land leasing in protected indigenous areas. 5But video and photos coming directly from indigenous people have been getting attention. This is forcing officials and the public to deal with what is happening. 6Nara Baré is head of the group Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon. She said, "When used properly, technology helps a lot in real-time monitoring and denouncing." 7The internet in different areas 8Communications connectivity is not only helping with reporting information on social media. Brazil's Federal Prosecutor's Office has set up a website to register reported crimes and receive uploaded visual material. 9In the past, people in distant communities had to make a long and costly trip to the nearest city that had a federal prosecutor's office. 10Xipaia territory is part of a rainforest area known as Terra do Meio. It has many indigenous and traditional river communities. Internet connections were not common until 2020. That is when several non-profit groups, including Health in Harmony and the Socio-environmental Institute, financed the building of 17 antennae throughout the large area. 11Marcelo Salazar is Health in Harmony's Brazil program coordinator. He said, "The internet makes it easier for health, education, and forest economy issues." Fighting environmental crime is an added benefit, he said. 12Four out of five Xipaia communities are now connected to communications services. 13About 1,300 kilometers to the west, in the Amazonian state of Rondonia, internet service let the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau people take classes in photography and video so they could record deforestation. A three-day training class in 2020 was held on Zoom. 14The effort produced the documentary film The Territory. The movie won awards at this year's Sundance Film Festival, Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival and others. Throughout its production, American director Alex Pritz used WhatsApp to communicate with his newly trained camera operators. 15Bolsonaro's promises to legalize mining and other activities on indigenous lands in the Amazon have led more people to go to those areas. Indigenous and environmental groups estimate there are 20,000 illegal miners in Yanomami territory. It is an area about the size of Portugal in northern Brazil. 16Bolsonaro's government says that there are 3,500 miners there. 17Concerns about the internet 18Some worry that indigenous groups like the Xipaia will not be the only ones aided by greater internet availability in the Amazon area. Illegal miners sometimes work with local indigenous leaders, communicating secretly on messaging apps. 19The information can help miners hide heavy machinery or let them know about upcoming raids by law enforcement officials. 20Roraima state is home to most of the Yanomami territory. The AP contacted one internet provider that offers Wi-Fi to an illegal gold mine for $2,600, plus $690 per month. 21Salazar, of Health in Harmony, described increased internet availability as "a double-edged sword," meaning a situation that has both good and harmful effects. 22I'm John Russell. 23Fabiano Maisonnave reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. 24____________________________________________________________ 25Words in This Story 26indigenous -adj. produced, living or existing naturally in an area 27lease - v. to use (something) for a period of time in return for payment 28monitor - v. to watch, observe, listen to, or check (something) for a special purpose over a period of time 29denounce - v. to report (someone) to the police or other authorities for illegal or immoral acts; to criticize (someone or something) harshly and publicly 30upload - v. computers: to move or copy (a file, program, etc.) from a computer or device to a usually larger computer or computer network 31antenna - n. : a device (such as a wire or a metal rod) for sending or receiving radio, television, or cell phone signals 32deforestation - n. the act or result of cutting down or burning all the trees in an area 33Wi-Fi -n. a local area network of wireless communications signals that connect devices within a few meters of each other