Today, 1.5 million indigenous people live in the Amazon Rainforest, gathered into 385 different ethnic groups. Despite their large presence, deforestation, fires, mining, and other invasive and extractive activities are pushing them out of their lands and destroying their identity as a whole.
“We are one with nature”
Kelly Olivo, a young Indigenous rights leader from the Shipibo community in Peru, describes Indigenous people as “those who are born in nature and are one with nature." As Olivo states, "We existed before Peru was even formed. We are the ancestors of this land."
Recognition of Indigenous people’s rights has improved over time, as Olivo points out that ”in the past we didn't even have rights, we were murdered and raped". In recent years, many organisations have emerged to protect Indigenous people's rights, like OJEIMAD, the Youth and Student Indigenous Organisation of Madre de Dios, which Olivo herself presides.
Despite progress, Indigenous communities still face enormous threats. In Peru, Brazil, and Bolivia, laws recognizing Indigenous rights exist, but are often unenforced due to government corruption and lack of resources to surveil the large areas. Moreover, many indigenous territories are not protected under law and are extremely vulnerable to illegal activities and external pressures.
Olivo points out the illegal labor carried out by miners, loggers, farmers and narcos and states that “They come into our territories and slowly take over. So, we are now forced to study and learn Western laws just to defend what is already ours and to fight back against invaders”.
This situation forces Indigenous people to integrate into Western society to understand and navigate the legal framework, pushing them away from their ancestral identity and their vital connection to nature.
For uncontacted native communities—the most vulnerable Indigenous groups—the stakes are even higher. These nomadic communities live in isolation, relying on the forest for survival. As deforestation, fires and invaders shrink the territory around them, their exposure to external threats increases, including the risk of fatal illnesses introduced by outsiders.
The best forest protectors
Despite being the primary victims of environmental destruction, Indigenous people are also the rainforest’s best protectors. Their survival is intimately tied to the health of the forest, and many Indigenous communities actively patrol their land to prevent illegal activities.
Olivo describes it by stating that “From the moment we are born, we protect the forest. This connection to nature is essential for all Indigenous people.”
Recent research indicates that areas managed by Indigenous peoples often act as carbon sinks, storing much more carbon than they emit, while degraded areas contribute to carbon emissions. Hence, Indigenous lands are critical in the fight against climate change.
Supporting Indigenous Communities
Through our work with partners in Peru and Bolivia, Aktion Amazonas helps Indigenous communities strengthen their land protections. We provide advanced technologies like drones and other monitoring systems to communities, enabling them to patrol their territories, offering safer, more effective tools to fight illegal activities. We also empower communities by organising surveillance groups to document environmental violations and follow up on criminal complaints.
In Peru, we also focus on creating protective buffer zones around Indigenous territories inhabited by uncontacted tribes, ensuring these vulnerable communities remain isolated and safe.
Indigenous communities and nature are mutually dependent. The forest sustains Indigenous people, and they, in turn, protect the forest. As Olivo explains, “Our traditional attire and culture represent who we are and our responsibility to protect the forest. Even though Western influences have changed some of our practices, our identity and commitment to nature remain strong.”
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