WRI Brasil expresses its deep sorrow for the murder of the indigenous expert Bruno Pereira and the British journalist Dom Phillips, in the Vale do Javari territory, in the Amazon. We express our solidarity with the families in this time of mourning.

The deaths of Bruno and Dom, as well as those of other defenders of the forest, are yet another sad result of the escalating illegal exploitation of the Amazon and the violence against indigenous peoples, traditional communities, and people who work to protect the region. Brazil is now the fourth country that most kills environmental activists, according to NGO Global Witness.

The process of investigation and punishment of the guilty must be conducted by the authorities transparently and rigorously. The fight against impunity is fundamental to guaranteeing human rights and forest protection.

We believe that the path to development for the region depends on the standing forest and the flowing rivers, respect for its unique socio-biodiversity, valuing traditional knowledge, and fundamentally protecting all those who defend the Amazon and its peoples.