In 1987, missionaries with Ethnos360 (then called New Tribes Mission), made contact with a small isolated tribe in the northern state of Pará, Brazil. The western missionaries tried to coax the tribespeople into interactions by offering them “gifts” in hopes of eventually convincing them to accept the word of Christ. By 1991, 45 members of the tribe had died of imported diseases like malaria, leaving their numbers at a dismal 133 people. It took intervention from the Brazilian government to force the New Tribes Mission to cease contact and withdraw from the area. Another one of their missionaries, Warren Scott Kennell, was caught sexually abusing young girls of the Katukina during his mission in the state of Amazonas.
More than 30 years later, Ethnos360 wants another crack at genocide as they have announced that they have purchased a helicopter and plan on reentering the Amazon with the goal of contacting and converting more isolated tribes.
Tell missionary group Ethnos360 to stand down. They must keep their western imperialist agenda away from the Amazonian tribes.
History has taught us that these missions never go well, especially for the tribespeople. When westerners come into contact with isolated tribes, they not only bring the word of God, but they also bring death and disease – diseases that the tribespeople’s immune systems are ill-equipped to fight. Ethnos360’s track record when it comes to indigenous missions also speaks to their lack of concern for the people that they claim to want to save. They won’t spread the name of God, but they might very well spread a deadly virus that could kill hundreds if not more. The current coronavirus pandemic should show us just how deadly a newly introduced virus can be. The hubris of Ethos360 to disregard the lives of their prospective converts is not only disgraceful but it should be a crime.
