Family of missing journalist begs for search: “Send the National Force”

After the news of the disappearance of Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira, this Sunday, 5th, in the amazon the journalist’s family implored the Brazilian authorities to begin searches in the region as soon as possible.

O Federal Public Ministry (MPF) states that it has already called the Federal Police, the Civil Police, the National Force, the Vale do Javari Ethnoenvironmental Protection Front and the Brazilian Navy to find the journalist and the indigenist. Also according to the MPF, who will conduct the search is the Brazilian Navy by the Command of Naval Operations.

“We implore the Brazilian authorities to send the National Force, the Federal Police and all the powers at their disposal to find our dear Dom,” said journalist Dom Phillips’ brother-in-law, Paul Sherwood, on a social network. “He loves Brazil and has dedicated his life to covering the Amazon Rainforest.”

“We understand that time is of the essence, so please find our Dom as soon as possible,” he continued.

remote area

According to an IBAMA official, who preferred not to be identified, the Javarí Valley region borders Colombia and Peru, is difficult to access, conflicted and concentrates many points of illegal mining. In addition, the area is also a cocaine trafficking route.

In a note, the MPF informs that it has opened an administrative procedure to investigate the case and called the authorities to search for the two missing men between the community of São Rafael and the municipality of Atalaia do Norte (AM).

The disappearance of journalist Dom Phillips and indigenist Bruno Pereira was confirmed this Monday (6) by the Union of Indigenous Peoples of Vale do Javari – Univaja and the Observatory for the Human Rights of Isolated and Recent Contact Indigenous Peoples. They disappeared on Sunday morning (5) as they traveled from the Ribeirinha São Rafael community to the municipality of Atalaia do Norte, in Amazonas.

Also on Sunday, a team left Atalaia do Norte in search of the two, traveling by boat along the same route they had taken, but so far no one has been found.