Uniting forest peoples on the internet

Aline Beckestein

Reporter Agência Brasil

Rio - The address is: redepovosdafloresta.org.br which means "network of the forest peoples," and it is up and operating. The minister of Environment, Marina Silva, herself a forest person (she was born into a rubber tapper family), got a look at the site this week when one of the editors, Ailton Krenak, who is a member of the Krenak tribe that resides in the state of Minas Gerais, made a presentation for her and other authorities. Ailton says one of the main objectives of the site is to make it possible for forest peoples to unite in defending the naturual resources of the forest and their own traditional culture.

"We intend to train environment protection agents who will monitor activities in the forest and report through the site. The internet portal will make it possible to exchange information, for example, on how to cultivate and harvest products without destroying the forest. It will also give us an opportunity to present our culture to others," says Ailton.

According to minister Silva, her ministry and the Ministry of Communications made the portal possible in October with an agreement that will provide access to 150 internet connections available by February of next year.

At the moment eight forest communities are using the portal. Another 30 communities have registered at the site.

More help in implanting the portal may be coming from Navajo communities in the United States located in Arizona and New Mexico. They have promised to help with graphics and training personnel in equipment maintenance. It is a pioneer example of cooperation between American and Brazilian Indians, says Marcos Terena, who works at the UN for Indian Human Rights.

Translation: Allen Bennett