Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
White smoke signals new pope elected: AFP
Reuters, citing two informed sources: US no longer demanding Saudi Arabia normalize ties with "Israel" as condition for progress on civil nuclear cooperation talks
Putin: Almost all foreign trade between Russia and China is now conducted in rubles and yuan
Putin: Russia and China are successfully developing cooperation in peaceful nuclear energy
Putin: Russia and China are successfully developing cooperation in peaceful nuclear energy
Russian President Vladimir Putin: Russia and China are to pursue an independent and autonomous foreign policy, and are interested in building a fair multipolar world order
Xi Jinping says he held detailed and fruitful talks with Putin and reached a new series of agreements
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli drone targets Electricity Company workers with explosive grenade in town of Houla.
Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Akbar Ahmadian: The result of the negotiations is unpredictable, with Iran's red lines clearly defined
Pakistani military reports downing 25 Israeli-made drones launched from India since Wednesday evening

Fears around UK journalist, indigenous expert missing in Amazon

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 8 Jun 2022 08:38
4 Min Read

The British journalist and Brazilian indigenous expert went missing in the amazon after receiving threats.

  • x
  • Fears around UK journalist, indigenous expert missing in Amazon
    Dom Philips and Bruno Pereira

The family and rights groups of a British journalist and a Brazilian Indigenous specialist who went missing deep in the Amazon after receiving threats urged Tuesday authorities to expedite the search.

Dom Phillips, 57, a veteran freelance writer, and Bruno Pereira, 41, a known Indigenous specialist, went missing early Sunday while sailing in Brazil's Javari Valley, bordering Peru, when Phillips was investigating a book.

As the 48-hour mark approached, questions arose over whether they were victims of an accident or foul play.

Authorities had no information on their whereabouts as of Tuesday night, but Amazonas state civil police stated they were interviewing a "suspect" and that four other persons had testified as "witnesses", though no arrests had been made.

According to local Indigenous activists, the couple received threats last week as a result of their work in the isolated region, which has experienced an increase in illicit logging, gold mining, poaching, and drug trafficking.

Read more: 'Blue River' turns brown, Illegal gold mining in Amazon raises concern

"I want to make an appeal to the government to intensify the search," Phillips's Brazilian wife, Alessandra Sampaio, expressed in a video statement.

"We still have some small hope of finding them. Even if I don't find the love of my life alive, please find them," she said. 

Authorities were accused of not responding quickly enough, while the Brazilian government voiced "grave concern", and police stated they were taking "all possible measures to find (the men) as quickly as possible."

According to the Ministry of Defense, the army has dispatched 150 soldiers who are "specialists in jungle environment operations, who know the terrain where the searches are being carried out," since Monday.

However, three Indigenous rights groups in the region previously disclosed that just six state police personnel were actively engaged in the operation, and they encouraged the government to deploy helicopters and a task force.

"The Brazilian government was very slow to act, in a situation where acting quickly is absolutely essential," the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Brazil office stated.

Related News

UK ends sanctions on Syrian def., interior ministries, intel agencies

England's water firms saw 30% rise in pollution incidents in 2024

According to Brazil's federal police, a second helicopter was deployed to help the search efforts.

Bolsonaro's comment under fire

President Jair Bolsonaro has come under fire for appearing to blame the missing men, both of whom have vast expertise in the Amazon jungle region.

Bolsonaro stated that "two people in a boat in a region like that, completely wild -- it's an unadvisable adventure. Anything can happen."

"Maybe there was an accident, maybe they were executed."

Bolsonaro has faced criticism for fueling pro-mining policies in Indigenous lands in the Amazon and Pereira, an expert currently on leave from Brazil's Indigenous affairs agency FUNAI, has campaigned against such policies, often being threatened as a result.

Painful waiting

According to Pereira's family statement, if either of the men is injured, time is of essence to the search and rescue operation.

They added that they were in anguish, while Philip's sister Sian posted a video statement on the edge of tears.

Sian stated that "every minute counts," urging the Brazilian authorities to act quickly.

In a letter published in the Brazilian daily O Globo, a group of approximately 40 reporters and friends of Phillips urged Brazilian authorities to widen the search.

In addition, 11 news organizations asked for an emergency meeting with the justice minister and other high-level authorities to obtain an update on the hunt.

Phillips, who lives in Salvador, previously followed Pereira to the Javari Valley in 2018 for a piece in Britain's Guardian newspaper, where he was a frequent writer.

Around 6,300 Indigenous people from 26 tribes live on the 85,000-square-kilometer (33,000-square-mile) reservation, which has little contact with the outside world.

FUNAI's outpost there, which was established to safeguard Indigenous populations, has been attacked multiple times in recent years, including the death of an officer in 2019.

According to Fiona Watson, research director at Indigenous rights group Survival International, the region has experienced an increase in illicit mining, logging, and poaching in recent years, and its remoteness makes it a sanctuary for drug traffickers.

She told AFP that "you're talking about dense tropical forest," describing the locating of Bruno and Dom as "immensely challenging".

Read more: 2021 Roundup: The Amazon's ongoing corporate colonization is still relevant

  • Britain
  • Indigenous
  • Brazil
  • United Kingdom

Most Read

Pro-Palestinian protesters march toward the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Washington (AP)

US House to vote on bill criminalizing boycott of 'Israel'

  • Politics
  • 3 May 2025
Throughout Operation Prosperity Guardian, current and former US military and intelligence officials expressed disquiet at the enormous “cost offset” involved in battling Ansar Allah. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab El-Hajj)

Ansar Allah triumphant: US facing Red Sea defeat again

  • Opinion
  • 3 May 2025
Pakistan downs an Indian jet and hits a military base in Kashmir escalation.

Pakistan downs 3 Indian jets, hits military base in Kashmir escalation

  • Politics
  • 7 May 2025
Yemeni missile hits Ben Gurion Airport as interceptors fail

YAF targeted Ben Gurion with hypersonic ballistic missile: Saree

  • MENA
  • 4 May 2025

Coverage

All
Gaza prevails against genocide

Read Next

All
President Donald Trump speaks before Steve Witkoff is sworn as special envoy during a ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, May 6, 2025, in Washington, with a portrait of former President Ronald Reagan in the background. (AP)
Politics

US prioritizes shipping, not 'Israel', in ceasefire deal with Yemen

A History of India-Pakistan conflicts: From partition to 2025
Asia

Timeline of India-Pakistan conflicts: 1947 partition - 2025's Pahalgam

Gaza aid pier: A costly mission with hidden injuries
Politics

Biden-era Gaza aid pier: A costly mission with hidden injuries

Faithful gather in St. Peter's Square as the door of the Sistine Chapel are closed to start the Conclave at the Vatican, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP )
Technology

Who will succeed Pope Francis? AI chatbots weigh in before white smoke

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS