Air Force Command will control Yanomami airspace

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva published, in today’s Official Gazette (31), a decree that provides for measures to deal with the public health emergency and to combat illegal mining in the Yanomami territory. Among the planned actions, to be adopted by federal administration bodies, is the creation of an Air Defense Identification Zone (ZIDA) over the territory’s airspace – a measure that will remain in effect while the Public Health Emergency of National Importance remains in effect. . In recent speeches, Lula had already anticipated the decision to adopt severe measures to protect indigenous territory and to combat illegal mining in Yanomami territory. “We decided to make the decision to stop this joke. There will be no more prospecting and no more overflights, nor fuel supply”, said, yesterday, the president during an event at the Planalto Palace. Airspace The air defense zone will be the responsibility of the Air Force Command, which will be responsible for adopting the necessary actions to regulate and control the airspace “against all types of suspected illicit air traffic” practiced in the territory. Administrative police measures such as interdiction of aircraft and equipment to support illicit activities will be the responsibility of agents of the Federal Police, the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) and other “bodies and entities of the federal public administration ”, says the text of the decree. Access by people to Yanomami territory can only take place if provided for in a joint act edited by the Ministers of Health and Indigenous Peoples, “with a view to preventing and reducing the risk of transmission of diseases and other injuries”. Also according to the decree, the Ministry of Defense will provide intelligence data and logistical air transport to the teams that will directly participate in the neutralization of aircraft and equipment related to illegal mining in the Yanomami territory. The decree provides that federal authorities will be in charge of making requests for goods, servers and services necessary for transporting teams; drinking water supply; provision of food and clothing; and for the opening or reopening of support posts of the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (Funai) and basic health units of the Ministry of Health.

Agência Brasil