UPDATE: I’ve recently posted again on this significant topic. Check it out by clicking on this sentence after you’ve read the below.
In the Brasilian Amazon the indigenous peoples have no rights under Brasilian constitutional law. They are not considered humans. As a result, the tribes are left to govern themselves. Many of the tribes believe that children of multiple births and/or children who have disabilities are cursed by evil spirits. To end the curse, the tribes bury the children alive. The above video is a snippet of a documentary produced by David Cunningham, the same Hollywood producer who produced the ABC 9/11 documentary. It is the trailer for his 30 minute documentary of the story of Hakani.
Hakani was a girl born with a thyroid disorder, easily corrected with modern medicine, but for the tribe from which she comes it was a death sentence. At the age of 18 months, when she was not able to walk or speak properly, her parents were ordered to kill her. Rather than do that, both her mother and father killed themselves, leaving her in the care of her oldest brother. He then was told to kill her by burial. He did so, but a younger brother rescued her.
Her grandfather then tried to kill her by an arrow, but it only wounded her. In his shame and guilt he killed himself. The brother who then rescued her took care of her for about 3 years. He then took her to a nearby YWAM missionary base where they began taking care of her. When she was brought to their care, nearly 5 years old, she was only 15 pounds. Today she is growing normally and doing well. She is one of many rescued children now.
Many in the Brasilian government is opposed to any rescues and desires to prevent it, leaving the tribes to do whatever they desire to their children and tribal members. The missionaries who have participated in helping these children and parents face prosecution and/or deportation. I believe the Church should stand up and fight this injustice, praying for God to move against it and doing all they can to speak out against it.
A law has been proposed, called Muwaji’s law, to stop this type of infanticide and give the children of the Amazon tribes the same rights as Brasilian children under Brasilian law. Muwaji was the mother of another rescued child who refused to kill her partially paralyzed child.
There is a group on Facebook entitled “Hakani.” Check it out and join it, inviting others to do the same.
Check out Hakani’s website at www.hakani.org. Watch the embedded video above and tell others about it.
Link to this post.
Finally, you can email the President of the Brasilian congress (Arlindo Chinaglia) at dep.arlindochinaglia@camara.gov.br, the President of the Congress’ Human Rights and Minorities Committee (Pompeo De Mattos) at dep.pompeodemattos@carara.gov.br, and the Minister of Justice (Tarso Genro) at Gabinetemj@mj.gov.br. Please tell them that you believe they should pass Muwaji’s Law as a matter of international justice and human rights; infanticide of all children everywhere should be prohibited by all governments.
Please let others know about this tragic injustice. Let’s stand in prayer against it and raise awareness as well.