The international NGO Human Rights Watch is demanding that Brazilian authorities use “all available and necessary resources” to locate British journalist Dom Phillips, a contributor to The Guardian newspaper, who has disappeared in the Amazon along with Brazilian native Bruno Araújo since Sunday (5). pereira
A former Funai employee, Phillips and Pereira were last seen in the Vale do Javari area of Amazonas. The disappearance was reported Monday (6) by the Indigenous Peoples Union of Vale do Javari (Univaja).
“Human Rights Watch is very concerned about the news about the disappearances of Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira,” Maria Laura Canineau, director of the Brazilian NGO, said on Twitter. It is urgent that the authorities devote all necessary resources to promptly conduct the search to ensure their safety.”
British journalist lost in Amazon lives in Brazil
Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira disappeared Sunday morning in Amazonas on the road between the riverside community of São Rafael and the northern city of Atalia, Univaja said in a statement.
The British journalist, who has lived in Brazil for over 15 years and now lives in Salvador, is working on a book on the environment with support from the Alicia Patterson Foundation, according to the Guardian.
Pereira accompanied Phillips on an attack on the Amazon so the journalist could interview the locals. After two days in the field, they were supposed to return to the city on Sunday morning, but were never seen again.
Univaja said it sent two rescue teams the same day, but there was no “permit” in the area.
The organization emphasizes that Bruno Pereira is “an experienced and profound expert of the region, having been the Regional Coordinator of Funai de Atalaia do Norte for many years”. He added that the boat is new and has enough fuel for the safe return journey.
URGENT! The Guardian’s report on the disappearance of local writer Bruno Araújo Pereira and journalist Dom Phillips pic.twitter.com/6XfNjyXc8y
— Opi (@OPI_Isolados) June 6, 2022
But the former Funai employee was already receiving threats from loggers, prospectors and fishermen. In a letter published by O Globo newspaper, illegal fishermen threatened Univaja coordinator Pereira and Beto Marumbo.
A quote published by the newspaper says, “I know who it is and we will find them to close the accounts.” “If you want to do harm, you better be ready. You’ve been warned,” he says elsewhere in the letter.
The Federal Police, Amazonas Civil Police, National Guard, and Marines were called in to assist in the search.
In a press release signed by Brazilian director Maria Laura Caninea and shared by her on Twitter, NGO Human Rights Watch called for Brazilian authorities to make a full commitment to finding the men.
“It is extremely important that the Brazilian authorities devote all available and necessary resources to carry out the search promptly, to ensure the safety of the two men as soon as possible.”
this @hrw_brasil He is very worried about the news of his disappearance. @domphillips and Bruno Pereira, a local writer @funaioficial on Amazon. It is urgent that the authorities devote all necessary resources to the prompt conduct of searches to ensure their safety. pic.twitter.com/6TJUBMQsOP
— Maria Laura Canineu (@mlcanineu) June 6, 2022
Family of British journalist who disappeared in the Amazon seeks help
In addition to The Guardian, Dom Phillips has contributed to the Washington Post, New York Times and Financial Times.
According to the Associated Press, he took One-year grant from the Alicia Patterson Foundation for environmental reporting lasting through January.
“A cautious journalist with an impressive understanding of the complexity of the Brazilian environmental crisis,” Margaret Engel, executive director of the Alicia Patterson Foundation, said in an email to the news agency. “And she’s a beautiful writer and a lovely person. The best in our business.”
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On social media, relatives of the missing British journalist have also asked Brazilian authorities to assist with searches in the Amazon, a hard-to-reach area that needs special air and sea support.
“We beg the Brazilian authorities to send the National Guard, the Federal Police and all powers at their disposal to find our beloved Dom,” said Paul Sherwood, a friend of the journalist’s sister.
“He loves Brazil and has dedicated his career to preserving the Amazon rainforest. We understand that time is of the essence, so please find our Dom as soon as possible.”
2/2 loves Brazil and has dedicated her career to covering the Amazon rainforest. We understand that time is of the essence, so please find our Dom as soon as possible.
– Paul Sherwood (@paulsherwood6) June 6, 2022
A spokesperson for Guardian News & Media said the company was “very concerned” about the employee’s condition.
We urgently need information on Phillips’ whereabouts and condition. We are in contact with the British Embassy in Brazil and local and national authorities to try to establish the facts as quickly as possible.”
The British journalist is open and frequently uses Twitter to promote the materials she publishes.
Reports on the environment, Brazilian politics, and the state of the Amazon were some of the latest news he shared on the social network.
Folha met with 12 agribusiness leaders and found that support for Bolsonaro was still strong. Causes include support for the liberalization of gun laws and the exploitation of protected Amazon areas, including Indigenous reserves. Read about destroying native forests for monoculture. https://t.co/fyW65wyhMq
— Dom Phillips (@domphillips) May 31, 2022
Dom Philipps’ Instagram profile is closed to the public, but he posted a video of a boat sailing down a river in the woods last week: “Amazonia, you’re beautiful,” according to the Guardian.
In 2018, the journalist traveled to the area where he disappeared with Bruno Pereira to write an article for The Guardian newspaper.
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source: Noticias
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