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| Giving the Amazon rainforest back to the Awa tribe | Giving the Amazon rainforest back to the Awa tribe |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Logging in the Brazilian Amazon has had a devastating effect on the rainforest and its indigenous people. However, a new operation by the army, air force and military police is designed to save an endangered tribe - by keeping loggers off their land. | Logging in the Brazilian Amazon has had a devastating effect on the rainforest and its indigenous people. However, a new operation by the army, air force and military police is designed to save an endangered tribe - by keeping loggers off their land. |
| It took Pira'I two small steps to get up into the helicopter, but those steps bridged two completely different worlds. | It took Pira'I two small steps to get up into the helicopter, but those steps bridged two completely different worlds. |
| Pira'I is a member of a 350-strong tribe called the Awa. They live in the last islands of rainforest in what is now the extreme eastern edge of the Amazon. | Pira'I is a member of a 350-strong tribe called the Awa. They live in the last islands of rainforest in what is now the extreme eastern edge of the Amazon. |
| He grew up in a tiny nomadic tribal group, completely separate from the rest of the world. | He grew up in a tiny nomadic tribal group, completely separate from the rest of the world. |
| Now, together with his friend Hamo, he was taking his first ever flight, leaving the jungle where they have lived all their lives. | Now, together with his friend Hamo, he was taking his first ever flight, leaving the jungle where they have lived all their lives. |
| They gave me a nervous smile through the window, then the engine roared and their faces vanished in a great eddy of leaves and dust as the helicopter rose up into the air. | They gave me a nervous smile through the window, then the engine roared and their faces vanished in a great eddy of leaves and dust as the helicopter rose up into the air. |
| This was a momentous trip for them, and for the entire tribe. | This was a momentous trip for them, and for the entire tribe. |
| The Awa are one of very few hunter-gatherer communities left in the Amazon basin. | The Awa are one of very few hunter-gatherer communities left in the Amazon basin. |
| Survival International, a pressure group that campaigns for the rights of indigenous people, has described the Awa as "the most endangered tribe on the planet". | Survival International, a pressure group that campaigns for the rights of indigenous people, has described the Awa as "the most endangered tribe on the planet". |
| Over the last couple of decades illegal loggers and farmers have invaded their ancestral lands, destroying the forest. | Over the last couple of decades illegal loggers and farmers have invaded their ancestral lands, destroying the forest. |
| I'd asked Pira'I what it was like growing up in the forest. | I'd asked Pira'I what it was like growing up in the forest. |
| "We were always on the run," he told me. "We would find a place to sleep, then the loggers would arrive again to cut down our trees and we would go on the run again." | "We were always on the run," he told me. "We would find a place to sleep, then the loggers would arrive again to cut down our trees and we would go on the run again." |
| Pira'I and his family - like most of the Awa - were forced to give up their traditional lifestyle and move into villages. Incredibly, though, a few dozen Awa are holding out. | Pira'I and his family - like most of the Awa - were forced to give up their traditional lifestyle and move into villages. Incredibly, though, a few dozen Awa are holding out. |
| They remain uncontacted, living in the last stands of jungle in this region. | They remain uncontacted, living in the last stands of jungle in this region. |
| "It is a miracle they are not dead," one of the officers of the Indigenous People's Department of the Brazilian government, tells me. | "It is a miracle they are not dead," one of the officers of the Indigenous People's Department of the Brazilian government, tells me. |
| With his extravagant beard, Leonardo Lenin lives up to his dramatic name. He's dedicated his life to fighting on behalf of the tribal people of Brazil. | With his extravagant beard, Leonardo Lenin lives up to his dramatic name. He's dedicated his life to fighting on behalf of the tribal people of Brazil. |
| "This is a story of resistance," he says. | "This is a story of resistance," he says. |
| "For 514 years our culture has been trying to dominate their culture, but they have survived." | "For 514 years our culture has been trying to dominate their culture, but they have survived." |
| And, thanks to the efforts of people like Leo Lenin and Survival International they are now much more likely to do so. | And, thanks to the efforts of people like Leo Lenin and Survival International they are now much more likely to do so. |
| That's because for once there is some good news from the Amazon. | That's because for once there is some good news from the Amazon. |
| I had come back to witness the Brazilian government's unprecedented effort to drive out the invaders and to take back the tribe's ancestral lands. | I had come back to witness the Brazilian government's unprecedented effort to drive out the invaders and to take back the tribe's ancestral lands. |
| It is called Operation Awa and is on an impressive scale. | It is called Operation Awa and is on an impressive scale. |
| The Brazilian army, air force and military police are working alongside the Indigenous People's department and Brazil's environmental protection service. | The Brazilian army, air force and military police are working alongside the Indigenous People's department and Brazil's environmental protection service. |
| Farmers who have illegally settled on the indigenous reserve that comprises the Awa's territory, have been served notice to leave. And they seem to be doing so. | Farmers who have illegally settled on the indigenous reserve that comprises the Awa's territory, have been served notice to leave. And they seem to be doing so. |
| The government has offered them plots elsewhere in the state. | The government has offered them plots elsewhere in the state. |
| I watched a family load up a truck with everything they own - including the tiles from the roof of the farm they'd lived in for 18 years. | I watched a family load up a truck with everything they own - including the tiles from the roof of the farm they'd lived in for 18 years. |
| It raised a great cloud of pink dust as it rumbled off down the rough track, the family clinging to the jumble of wardrobes, tables, beds - even a satellite dish. | It raised a great cloud of pink dust as it rumbled off down the rough track, the family clinging to the jumble of wardrobes, tables, beds - even a satellite dish. |
| Another day I watched raid on an illegal saw mill involving officers from Ibama, the Brazilian environment agency. | |
| The trunks of huge trees lay scattered around it like so many matchsticks. | The trunks of huge trees lay scattered around it like so many matchsticks. |
| The Ibama agents took careful records of what they'd found, including the account books that carefully noted payments to the local police. | The Ibama agents took careful records of what they'd found, including the account books that carefully noted payments to the local police. |
| Then Agent Maria Luisa Gonclaves, who had led the raid, gave the order to torch the place. | Then Agent Maria Luisa Gonclaves, who had led the raid, gave the order to torch the place. |
| "Isn't the fire beautiful," I heard her whisper to a colleague, as we watched great tongues of flame dance up into the night sky. | "Isn't the fire beautiful," I heard her whisper to a colleague, as we watched great tongues of flame dance up into the night sky. |
| But how would the government show the tribe that the "invaders" had been driven out? | But how would the government show the tribe that the "invaders" had been driven out? |
| That's where the helicopter came in. | That's where the helicopter came in. |
| It flew Pira'I and Hamo, the two nervous Awa tribesmen, to the edge of the indigenous reserve where they watched a bulldozer destroy the shells of the farmers' homes. | |
| Finally Pira'I relaxed, breaking into a big smile as the buildings collapsed. | Finally Pira'I relaxed, breaking into a big smile as the buildings collapsed. |
| When they arrived back at the village, a crowd gathered. | When they arrived back at the village, a crowd gathered. |
| "The destruction is huge," Pira'I told them triumphantly. | "The destruction is huge," Pira'I told them triumphantly. |
| "I saw it with my own eyes, they have sent the non-Indians a long way away, they must have told them, 'Go away! Go away!'" | "I saw it with my own eyes, they have sent the non-Indians a long way away, they must have told them, 'Go away! Go away!'" |
| "Are you sure they are not hiding in the forest and will come back?" asked someone. | "Are you sure they are not hiding in the forest and will come back?" asked someone. |
| "No, there is no-one left," Hamo replied with certainty. | "No, there is no-one left," Hamo replied with certainty. |
| "They don't have houses any more. The non-Indians have destroyed everything, even the school. | "They don't have houses any more. The non-Indians have destroyed everything, even the school. |
| "They have a truck with a hand of iron that destroys everything," Hamo was clearly very impressed. | |
| I felt privileged to be present on such a momentous day for the tribe. | I felt privileged to be present on such a momentous day for the tribe. |
| But the truth is once the troops have gone the loggers and farmers will be back. | But the truth is once the troops have gone the loggers and farmers will be back. |
| The big question is - is Brazil is willing to invest the resources necessary to keep them out permanently? | The big question is - is Brazil is willing to invest the resources necessary to keep them out permanently? |
| Only then will Pira'I, Hamo and the rest of the tribe be able to live in peace. | Only then will Pira'I, Hamo and the rest of the tribe be able to live in peace. |
| How to listen to From Our Own Correspondent: | How to listen to From Our Own Correspondent: |
| BBC Radio 4: Saturdays at 11:30 and some Thursdays at 11:00 | BBC Radio 4: Saturdays at 11:30 and some Thursdays at 11:00 |
| Listen online or download the podcast. | Listen online or download the podcast. |
| BBC World Service: Short editions Monday-Friday - see World Service programme schedule. | BBC World Service: Short editions Monday-Friday - see World Service programme schedule. |
| Justin Rowlatt's film for Newsnight from the Amazon can be seen on BBC2 on Thursday at 22:30 | Justin Rowlatt's film for Newsnight from the Amazon can be seen on BBC2 on Thursday at 22:30 |
| Follow @BBCNewsMagazine on Twitter and on Facebook | Follow @BBCNewsMagazine on Twitter and on Facebook |