Known as the Atlernative Nobel Price, the « Right Livelihood Award » has been given this year to a Catholic Bishop, Erwin Kräutler, who officiates in the Xingu region of brazilian Amazonia. He is also President of the Indigenist Missionary Council (CIMI) of the Catholic Church in Brazil.

The awards ceremony was held on December 7 at the Swedish Parliament. He was honored « for a lifetime of work for the human and environmental rights of indigenous peoples and for his tireless efforts to save the Amazon forest from destruction ».

Bishop Kraütler delivered a stirring speach to warn about the fate of indian populations of Amazonia like the Guaranis, whose « pain, despair and insecurity » he highlighted.

Let us remind ourselves that today Guaranis in Brazil are numbered at around 30,000, while other communities live in Argentina, Bolivia and especially in Paraguay where their language enjoys official status, and is taught on the same level as Spanish.

In Brazil, they used to dwell on a vast territory of forests and plains, but are now confined to small areas or live in makeshift camps along roads. Deeply affected by this situation, they are suffering from an unprecedented wave of suicides in South America.

After having condemned this « genocide in progress » of Guaranis, Bishop Kräutler went on to warn the assistance about the fate of Indians living in the Xingu region, whose livelihood is threatened by the construction of the Belo Monte mega-dam. Indigenous peoples, he stated, « know very well that they will not survive if Amazonia continues to be disrespected and razed. And they know that planet Earth will suffer irreversible consequences by this cruel destruction ».

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Read more on other awardees and download Bishop Kräutler’s speech