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NOVEMBER 7, 2019 | The Jewish Home
bring those responsible for this serious crime to justice,” tweeted Justice Minister Sergio Moro. Guajajara had led a group comprised of members of his Arariboia indigenous tribe that worked to preserve the local forests from loggers. Speaking with Reuters in September, Guajajara said that he would never stop protecting his tribe’s sacred woods despite the danger it brought from wildcat loggers. “I’m scared at times, but we have to lift up our heads and act. We are here fighting,” said the slain activist. “We are protecting our land and the life on it, the animals, the birds, even the Awa [tribe] who are here too.” Following the murder, tribal rights groups blamed Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for what they said was his unwillingness to protect indigenous people. APIB, a group representing Brazil’s estimated 950,000 indigenous people, noted that Guajajara’s work had become so dangerous that the group was forced to wear reflective vests and carry radios while patrolling the woods. “The Bolsonaro government has indigenous blood on its hands,” charged the APIB. “The increase in violence in indigenous territories is a
direct result of his hateful speeches and steps taken against our people.”
Turkey Summons U.S. Ambassador
Turkey summoned the American ambassador in Ankara for a dressing down after the U.S. Congress voted to recognize the Armenian genocide last week. The decision followed another resolution slapping sanctions on senior Turkish military officials for their role in Turkey’s invasion of northern Syria in order to massacre the Kurds. Following the passage of both bills, Turkey’s President Recep Erdogan said that he “strongly con-
demns” the decision and asserted that “it does not count towards anything.” “We are saddened that a slander against our country is being accepted by a country’s parliament,” Erdogan said. “We would consider this accusation the biggest insult towards our nation.” The bill to formally recognize the Ottomans’ role in the Armenian genocide of 1915 passed with a bipartisan margin of 405-11 in the House. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that the resolution was passed “in solemn remembrance of one of the great atrocities of the 20th century.” The resolution marked the first time the U.S. has ever acknowledged Turkey’s role in the killings since the two nations first established diplomatic relations. Despite the slaughter of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians, the United States has always refrained from recognizing the massacre for fear of offending Turkey. Another bill condemning Turkey’s assault on the Kurds and sanctioning Turkish officials for their role in the invasion passed by a large margin of 403-16. The resolution seizes the assets of senior Turkish
army officers and bans them from traveling to the U.S. It also forbids the U.S. from selling arms to Turkey and would slap further sanctions on any country that does. “These sanctions are specifically designed to target the Turkish officials and institutions responsible for the bloodshed in Syria without senselessly hurting the Turkish people,” said Representative Eliot Engel, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Iran Ramps up Nuclear Activity
In what is the biggest breach of the 2015 nuclear deal to-date, Iran announced this week that it will significantly ramp up its enrichment of
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