Technology Used to Report Environmental Crime in Brazil

Native groups in Brazil's Amazon rainforest area are increasingly using the internet to share evidence of environmental crimes.

These 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.

Until recently, indigenous¹ 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.

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has criticized these non-profit groups. Bolsonaro supports legalizing mining and land leasing in protected indigenous areas.

But 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.

Nara Baré is head of the group Coordination² of Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon. She said, "When used properly, technology helps a lot in real-time monitoring and denouncing."

The internet in different areas

Communications connectivity is not only helping³ 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.

In the past, people in distant communities had to make a long and costly⁴ trip to the nearest city that had a federal prosecutor's office.

Xipaia 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 antennae⁶ throughout the large area.

Marcelo Salazar is Health in Harmony's Brazil program coordinator⁷. He said, "The internet makes it easier for health, education, and forest economy issues." Fighting environmental crime is an added benefit, he said.

Four out of five Xipaia communities are now connected to communications services.

About 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 Zoom⁸.

The 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.

Bolsonaro'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.

Bolsonaro's government says that there are 3,500 miners there.

Concerns about the internet

Some 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.

The information can help miners hide heavy machinery⁹ or let them know about upcoming raids by law enforcement officials.

Roraima 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.

Salazar, of Health in Harmony, described increased internet availability as "a double-edged sword," meaning a situation that has both good and harmful effects.

Words in This Story

indigenous –adj. produced, living or existing naturally in an area

lease – v. to use (something) for a period of time in return for payment

monitor – v. to watch, observe, listen to, or check (something) for a special purpose over a period of time

denounce – v. to report (someone) to the police or other authorities for illegal or immoral¹⁰ acts; to criticize (someone or something) harshly and publicly

upload – v. computers: to move or copy (a file, program, etc.) from a computer or device to a usually larger computer or computer network

antenna⁵ – n. : a device (such as a wire or a metal rod) for sending or receiving radio, television, or cell phone signals

deforestation – n. the act or result of cutting down or burning all the trees in an area

Wi-Fi –n. a local area network of wireless communications signals that connect devices within a few meters of each other

1 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

2 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

3 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

4 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

5 antenna   

n.触角，触须；天线

参考例句：

• The workman fixed the antenna to the roof of the house.工人把天线固定在房顶上。
• In our village, there is an antenna on every roof for receiving TV signals.在我们村里，每家房顶上都有天线接收电视信号。

6 antennae   

n.天线；触角

参考例句：

• Sometimes a creature uses a pair of antennae to swim.有时某些动物使用其一对触须来游泳。
• Cuba's government said that Cubans found watching American television on clandestine antennae would face three years in jail.古巴政府说那些用秘密天线收看美国电视的古巴人将面临三年监禁。

7 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

8 zoom   

n.急速上升；v.突然扩大，急速上升

参考例句：

• The airplane's zoom carried it above the clouds.飞机的陡直上升使它飞到云层之上。
• I live near an airport and the zoom of passing planes can be heard night and day.我住在一个飞机场附近，昼夜都能听到飞机飞过的嗡嗡声。

9 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

10 immoral   

adj.不道德的，淫荡的，荒淫的，有伤风化的

参考例句：

• She was questioned about his immoral conduct toward her.她被询问过有关他对她的不道德行为的情况。
• It is my belief that nuclear weapons are immoral.我相信使核武器是不邪恶的。