According to a Portuguese news report, the World Wildlife Fund-Brasil has launched a georeferenced platform "Mercury Observatory.”
“The tool brings together studies on mercury and data on gold mining, in addition to showing the large amount of legal and illegal mining in Indigenous Lands (TI) in the region. The platform covers not only the Brazilian Amazon, but the entire Pan-Amazon region - which includes other countries with Amazon rainforest - and shows the same pressure on indigenous peoples in Colombia, Guyana and Bolivia.”
“All Brazilian states and countries with Amazon rainforest, such as TI Pilón Lajas, in Bolivia” are included. “On the platform, it is possible to make a georeferenced navigation through layers, which facilitates the spatial location of mining activities…For example, by choosing the Municipalities, Mining, Illegal Mining, Mercury Contamination in Humans and Mercury Contamination in Fish layers, it is possible to visualize the regions where studies were carried out showing mercury contamination and the mining areas…”
“Along with mining and violence, there is also mercury, a metal used to separate gold from other sediments. It adds to the mercury that is also present in nature and is released into the atmosphere by deforestation, fires and man-made alterations, reaching levels that are harmful to health.”
“On the platform, it is possible to view records of studies carried out on contamination with humans and fish.”
“For the WWF-Brazil conservation specialist and leader of the agenda to combat illegal mining, Marcelo Oliveira, the publication by the Mercúrio Observatory evidences the pressing problem of the illegal use of mercury in the mining operations.
"The ambition is that the gathering of these data and information about the Pan-Amazon can serve as technical-scientific support for the development and implementation of public policies and for decision-making that promote the legality and conservation of the region and respect autonomy and rights of local traditional peoples, including indigenous peoples, riverside dwellers and quilombolas," he said.”
According to activist Jama Wapishana: “In addition to command and control, there is a lack of public policies that also guarantee autonomy, health and a dignified life for indigenous peoples. Indigenous peoples need security and strong institutions on their behalf so that they can continue to fight for their lands and see a dignified future in their traditional way of life.”