The FAB contributed by providing transport, reconnaissance, fighter, and rotary wing aircraft, helping in the prevention and repression carried out in interagency cooperation
Air Force Agency, by Major Bazilius
Last Tuesday (27/06), the Armed Forces released a report with the results of actions in the Yanomami Indigenous Territory (TIY). During a press conference held in Boa Vista (RR), positive figures were presented that point to a huge reduction in illegal mining activities in the region, in addition to a major humanitarian aid effort to the indigenous people. In this context, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) contributed with great weight by making available transport, reconnaissance, fighter, and rotary-wing aircraft (helicopters), assisting in all scopes of prevention and repression carried out in full interagency cooperation. In the same way, the Brazilian Navy (MB) and the Brazilian Army (EB) have been carrying out preventive and repressive actions focused on cross-border and environmental crimes, on the land border strip and on inland waters, having also acted with rotary wing aircraft.
In the morning, a C-98 Caravan flight over the mining areas showed the effectiveness of the actions to combat illegal mining. These areas are already undergoing a natural recovery process. After four months without the environmental degradation caused by mining, the affected areas have vegetation growing. In addition, the color of the water has completely changed.
This record is in parallel with a survey carried out by the Federal Police in recent weeks, which revealed that the interruption of the advance of the garimpo has indeed taken place. During the period observed, from May 6 to June 8, no new mines or deforestation were recorded. This happened mainly because of the bottleneck of logistical support on the roads, which included coordinated actions with the Federal Highway Police (PRF), on the rivers and in the air, which limits the actions of the miners and makes illegal operations unfeasible. This was the first time, since this type of monitoring began in August 2020, that no warnings of miners were observed for such a long period of time.
Humanitarian Aid
On January 30, 2023, by means of Decree # 11,405, which provides for measures to confront the Public Health Emergency of National Importance (ESPIN) and to combat illegal mining in TIY, to be adopted by federal administration agencies, the Armed Forces began to provide humanitarian aid to indigenous people in the state of Roraima with greater intensity, in addition to supporting other institutions, such as the Federal Police and IBAMA. The Brazilian Air Force became responsible, besides providing intelligence, for the Logistical Air Transport (TAL) in the operations, offering as its main means the C-105 Amazonas and KC-390 Millennium aircraft, which have ramps for parachute launches of food baskets. Besides them, C-98 Caravan aircraft and H-36 Caracal helicopters are also involved for the other transport deployments to the most remote locations. The Brazilian Navy also made available the UH-15 and UH-12 helicopters, and the Brazilian Army the HM-1 and HM-2 helicopters, as well as providing intelligence.
With all these airborne means, 23,438 baskets of basic food supplies were distributed in a humanitarian action to the indigenous people of the TIY, with more than 600 tons of material being transported. The logistical effort reached historic numbers, with more than 1,000 cargo deliveries made since the beginning of the operations. More than 270 indigenous people were also transported, in addition to 96 who were rescued in Aeromedical Evacuation Missions (EVAM). In total, more than 1,800 people were transported, also taking into account the military and all the personnel involved, in more than 5,200 flight hours. All this effort can show the commitment of the Armed Forces and all the Institutions in the assistance to the indigenous people of the TIY.
Repressive Actions
In the month of May, the conflicts between the miners and the indigenous people became evident, causing deaths and violence on both sides. As the crisis escalated, a new government action instituted Decree No. 11,575, of June 21, 2023, which deals with the expansion of the scope of action of the Ministry of Defense, making actions more repressive and including new powers for the military in combating illegal actions. In this context, as of last week, in addition to the TAL and intelligence support to the other organs and agencies involved, the Armed Forces began to carry out preventive and repressive actions against cross-border and environmental crimes, in the land border strip and inland waters, by promoting patrol actions, searches of people, land vehicles, vessels, and aircraft, and arrests in flagrante delicto, among others.
In this way, the Brazilian Air Force maintains surveillance of the airspace with Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft, i.e. the E-99 radar, and the A-29 Super Tucano fighter, performing intelligence actions and interception of illicit aircraft, promoting an effective control of the airspace. The Brazilian Navy is responsible for the surveillance of the rivers, with its patrol ships, and repressive actions against illegal mining, and the Brazilian Army also acts against mining activities and environmental crimes, in addition to providing ground protection to the operations, all in an interagency environment.
With this, since the beginning of the operations, in February, 19 illegal mines have been destroyed, reducing by 90% the number of clandestine flights in the Yanomami Indigenous Land. In this context, the Armed Forces, in joint action with agencies of the Federal Government, caused a loss of R$ 30.9 million in actions against illegal mining in TIY, including the destruction/apprehension of 112 rafts, 41 vessels and aircrafts, 415 motors and mining machines, 42 tons of cassiterite, 90 generators and 39 firearms, among other items.
The Chief of the Joint Staff of Operation Agate Northern Border, Air Brigadier André Gustavo Fernandes Peçanha, commented on the success of the operations. “In an environment of enormous challenges, such as the climate and the difficulty of access by river or road, the Armed Forces worked hard to meet all the proposed objectives, such as the transportation of food baskets, aeromedical evacuations, and the combat against illegal mining. For this, the intelligence, transport, and fighter aircrafts, as well as the helicopters, were fundamentally important for the success and the reach of the results presented here”, highlighted the General Officer.
As a final conclusion, all the data presented show a drastic reduction in illegal activities, proving the effectiveness in the synergy between the Armed Forces and the other bodies and agencies involved in the operations.
Photos: CECOMSAER