The Amazon’s Diamond Curse

The Amazon jungle in Brazil holds many wonders, among them, some of the world’s richest deposits of diamonds. However, according to the International Herald Tribune (IHT), the discovery of diamonds has brought with it only troubles for the Cinta-Larga Indians who live in the remote reservation.

In 1999, prospecting began in the reservation and soon miners took over the Indians’ land. Drugs, alcohol, disease, and prostitution followed the miners and led tribal leaders to rack up debts they could not repay after being promised quick riches. Police have now set up roadblocks to prevent illegal diamond trafficking.

An IHT journalist interviewed one of the tribal leaders. "Back then, we had no idea what diamonds were worth," said Roberto Carlos Cinta-Larga who, following tradition, uses the tribe's name as his surname. "We didn't have money in those days and didn't even really know what money was, because our nature was to stay apart from everyone else and not cultivate friendships."

In the 1960s though, a highway was built nearby which opened the jungle to exploitation by loggers. While the discovery of gold, tin and finally diamonds increased the opportunities for the Cinta-Largas, it also increased their resentment of outsiders' encroachments on the reservation, land that the Brazilian government had set aside for them.

Then two years ago, the tensions resulted in the killing of 29 miners, who were working without the tribe's permission at a mine on the reservation. An investigation into the deaths is ongoing.

Since then, this particular tribe got the reputation as being bloodthirsty and greedy. As a result, the IHT reported, a journalist was invited to visit so they could tell their side of the story.

"We want it known that, despite what our enemies say, we are not mining diamonds," Ita Cinta-Larga, another tribal leader said. There are reports that the tribe’s women were sick of seeing their young girls being raped by miners and thus, forced the men to act.

According to the IHT article, “in return for an $810,000 grant for community development from the Brazilian government, the Cinta-Largas agreed in April to shut down the mine, allow the state environmental police to patrol the site and refrain from killing intruders. But the money is now running out, and Pio Cinta-Larga, a tribal leader, warned that unless more help is forthcoming, "when the year ends, the truce expires with it."

The Brazilian Federal Police's Amazon task force said that in view of the tribe's history, such threats must be taken seriously.