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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Campaign group retracts Yanomami 'massacre' claims | Campaign group retracts Yanomami 'massacre' claims |
| (21 days later) | |
| Allegations of a massacre of a Yanomami community in the jungles of Venezuela have been retracted by Survival International, the campaign group that pushed longest and hardest for an investigation into the claims. | Allegations of a massacre of a Yanomami community in the jungles of Venezuela have been retracted by Survival International, the campaign group that pushed longest and hardest for an investigation into the claims. |
| After denials by the government, journalists were also flown by helicopter to Irotatheri – the site of the reported killings, allegedly by goldminers – where they found no evidence of murder. | After denials by the government, journalists were also flown by helicopter to Irotatheri – the site of the reported killings, allegedly by goldminers – where they found no evidence of murder. |
| Last month, Yanomani organisations said a community of 80 Yanomami villagers had been attacked by Brazilian goldminers operating illegally in the remote border area. | Last month, Yanomani organisations said a community of 80 Yanomami villagers had been attacked by Brazilian goldminers operating illegally in the remote border area. |
| Based on testimony from a Yanomami, the group said only three people had survived the assault, which left charred remains in the village. | Based on testimony from a Yanomami, the group said only three people had survived the assault, which left charred remains in the village. |
| However, Survival International said on Monday it now believes the original account was incorrect. | However, Survival International said on Monday it now believes the original account was incorrect. |
| "Having received its own testimony from confidential sources, Survival now believes there was no attack by miners on the Yanomami community of Irotatheri," said a statement by Stephen Corry, Survival International's director. | "Having received its own testimony from confidential sources, Survival now believes there was no attack by miners on the Yanomami community of Irotatheri," said a statement by Stephen Corry, Survival International's director. |
| The reports sparked international outrage and prompted Brazil to call for an investigation. The government of president Hugo Chávez looked into the claims and said last week there were no signs of a massacre or mining in Irotatheri. | The reports sparked international outrage and prompted Brazil to call for an investigation. The government of president Hugo Chávez looked into the claims and said last week there were no signs of a massacre or mining in Irotatheri. |
| To convince sceptics, it flew foreign journalists to the area by military helicopter. Reuters, AFP and other agencies reported the area seemed undisturbed and local villagers, who are normally naked but were given clothes for the occasion by the government, had not heard of the alleged massacre. | To convince sceptics, it flew foreign journalists to the area by military helicopter. Reuters, AFP and other agencies reported the area seemed undisturbed and local villagers, who are normally naked but were given clothes for the occasion by the government, had not heard of the alleged massacre. |
| The Yanomami people, estimated to be between 30,000 and 35,000 in number, live in an Amazon forest region that spans the Venezuela-Brazil border. In recent decades, there have been several violent encounters with the illegal miners who encroach on their homeland, including the massacre of 16 villagers in 1993. | The Yanomami people, estimated to be between 30,000 and 35,000 in number, live in an Amazon forest region that spans the Venezuela-Brazil border. In recent decades, there have been several violent encounters with the illegal miners who encroach on their homeland, including the massacre of 16 villagers in 1993. |
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