powerkids press LAST CHANCE TO SAVE ENDANGERED PEOPLE ANITA GANERI
ON THE EDGE Around the world there are about 150 million indigenous peoples living in more than 60 countries Indigenous means people who were among the first to live in a place Maasai in Tanzania performing a traditional dance DIFFERENT LIVES The thousands of groups of indigenous peoples around the world have different cultures customs and distinct languages Many have very close ties to the lands they live in and have developed incredible survival skills that allow them to live in some of the planet’s harshest environments The reindeer-herding Nenets migrate vast distances in Russia every year 4
WHAT’S HAPPENING Governments and companies are taking over indigenous peoples lands for plantations mining and industrial projects They are violating the rights of indigenous peoples Many indigenous groups are forced to join mainstream society often with terrible results Cut off from the lands they have lived in for centuries many face poverty disease unfair treatment and violence Indigenous people’s homes such as those in the rainforest are being destroyed CAMPAIGN GROUPS There are many groups and organizations working to protect the rights of indigenous peoples One of the best known is Survival International It was founded in 1969 to help indigenous peoples in the Amazon rainforest Its goals are to highlight the suffering of indigenous peoples and to lobby governments and companies on their behalf Campaigners from Survival International protesting against diamond mining in Botswana where the San or Bushmen people live 5
