The police are investigating murder of British journalist Dom Phillips and Indigenous advocate Bruno Pereira singled out five more people related with murders, bringing the number to eight of suspects in a crime it shocked Brazil.
The police had already arrested two brothers one of who confessed to the crime the third person handed himself in authorities on Saturday.
State Police in Atalaya do Norte is the coastal town where Phillips and Pereira started their final journey – told the Guardian that five suspects are under investigation over their alleged involvement in help men in moving in remains of Philips and Pereira 24 hours after shooting.
Investigator David Da Rocha described the investigation as “90% complete”, stating that the expected arrests are likely to be last in process. He said five men he expected arrest were relatives of two brothers in guarded. The police were waiting on court order to initiate detentions and hoped also charge them every with murder.
Da Rocha was of the opinion that murder the suspects did not act on anyone ordered and declared crime was not a part of wider criminal CONSPIRACY. This characterization, shared by the Brazilian Federal Police, is strongly opposed by indigenous activists. in in region, who claimed that the killings were linked to an organized crime groups.
Phillips was a British journalist. who studied the book on stable development in Amazon region and Pereira helped him negotiate remote parts of tropical forest where he carried out interview.
The couple were shot dead on June 5th and buried deep in a tropical forest. Their bodies were found last week when one of two brothers confessed to crime.
Police said Phillips was killed. with one shot in the body while Pereira was shot by three times, twice in chest and abdomen region and one day in in head. Weapon used in in killing we of Type used by hunters, police said.
announcement came as unions working in the Brazilian national The Funai Indigenous Peoples Agency went on strike for five days. for this week aimed at overthrowing the president of organization, who they say it works against interest of native people of brazil people.
Officials with the three unions vote on hit on Monday, but sure that the members in majority of The 27 states of Brazil will join stop, which also Created for force authorities to expand the investigation crime.
“Focus of strike force out [the Funai president] Marcelo Xavier,” said Priscila Colotetti, Managing Director director of Indigenistas Associados, association of Funai employees. “Under Xavier, indigenous politics did not hard accept, is that there is no indigenous policy. So we need longer stroke to apply pressure on.
“We also pushing for proper investigation into killing of Dom and Bruno so they find out who ordered crime”.
Officials have stated last week the suspects acted alone, but this conclusion has been questioned, not least by local indigenous groups, who previously reported having of drug gangs and organized crime mafia in in region.
announcement added to the general absence of confidence local people put in government agencies such as the police and, increasingly, Funai.
Indigenous foundation was undermined and underfunded by far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, current as well as former officials there said. Bolsonaro wants to open up Indigenous land for lumberjacks and miners, further threatening communities who lived in in area for thousands of years.
Xavier place in head of organization accused with care and protection of estimated 235 indigenous tribes also was interrogated, including by Pereira, former funai employee.
Xavier said that in A few days after the couple’s disappearance, they did not have the necessary permits. for penetration of indigenous peoples into the land, as required in Brazil. However, indigenous groups stated that they did not need permissions because they didn’t take risks on into the territory of indigenous peoples. The judge agreed and ordered Xavier to delete his application from Funai. website and refrain from vilifying the two missing men. Funai complied.
funai made belated statement on on June 16, stating “Pereira leaves a huge legacy” and noting what he called “extreme devotion…to the indigenous peoples”. people, for whom he worked tirelessly.”
Pereira, 41 already faced with Xavier, a former chief of police appointed to Bolsonaro in July 2019. Pereira worked with Funai until late in the year when Xavier removed him from him post. Pereira said he believed in decision was taken because he performed a successful operation against illegal mines on Indigenous land.
Leaving Funai, father of three went to work with indigenous communities in Javari Valley, a. remote and dense forest region along the western border of Brazil with Peru. It was there on silence stretch of the Ithaquai River that he and Phillips were last seen alive.
Sunday strike call coming in five days union members at Funai headquarters in the capital of Brasilia was joined on colleagues in two other states in lightning one- Day stop.
Colotetti said staff were threatened with dismissal if they went ahead with strike, but not afraid.
“We will lose money since we out there are other threats back channels,” she said. “People in senior positions are warned that they will be removed by those who are here on seconded are warned that they will be sent back. Directors try to slow down on It.”
