An advocacy group based in Britain has declared that illegal settlers in Brazil who are threatening the existence of an indigenous tribe have yet to vacate, despite the deadline set for their removal.
The indigenous tribe in question is called the Awá, and their endangered community is comprised of approximately 450 people.
Despite the fact that the Awá — known as "the most threatened tribe in the world" — has been awarded legal rights over their lands in Brazil and regardless of a court order that required loggers in the area to leave by the end of March, the illegal settlers remain.
Some 100 Awá have no contact with the outside world, which worries advocates about their safety in regard to the illegal settlers who have yet to leave or be evicted from the area.
"We are scared because the loggers could kill us and the uncontacted Indians," Awá tribe member Haikaramoka'a told the indigenous advocacy group Survival International, as relayed by LiveScience.
The danger is far greater than mere violent clashes between the Awá and the illegal settlers. Due to the deforestation of the Amazon forest, the Awá are losing their resources they need to survive. Uncontacted Awá haven't the tolerance for even the most common colds or diseases from the outside world, and thus simple contact between Awá and the settlers could be devastating to the tribe.
"They don't have immunity to common diseases like a cold or a flu, which could kill them," Sarah Shenker, a campaigner for Survival International, said to LiveScience.
Already, the Awá have lost approximately 30 percent of their 463 square miles (1,200 square kilometers) of tree cover to deforestation.
"It's not too late for the Awá, but it soon will be," Survival International director Stephen Corry said in a statement. "It is entirely within the Minister of Justice's capabilities to evict loggers, but he must act today. If he doesn't, tomorrow the Awá will be gone."
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