News of Note 8/29/25: Logging Exposes Mashco Piro, Mi’gmaq Chiefs want Gas Plant Review, Unknown Risk from Cambodian Wind Projects
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Isolated Amazon tribe seen near logging bridge site, alarming rights group (Associated Press)
“The sightings of members of Mashco Piro tribe come as a logging company is building a bridge that could give outsiders easier access to the tribe’s territory, a move that could raise the risk of disease and conflict, according to Survival International, which advocates for Indigenous rights. The Mashco Piro are among the world’s largest uncontacted groups, living without regular interaction with outside society to protect their culture and health. Even a simple cold can be deadly to the group because it lacks immunity to common diseases.”
Mi’gmaq Chiefs, Locals Push Back Against Proposed NB Gas Plant (The Energy Mix)
“Mi’gmaq chiefs and local environmental advocates are pushing back against NB Power’s proposed 500-megawatt gas plant on the Chignecto Isthmus, warning of risks to ecosystems, greenhouse gas emissions, and Indigenous rights. They say the project cannot move ahead without an Indigenous-led impact review. The facility, slated for construction and operation by Missouri-based PROENERGY under a 25-year deal, would burn fracked gas from Alberta in 10 turbines, with a three-million-gallon diesel reserve for backup.”
Indigenous communities fear impacts of Cambodian wind projects (Dialogue Earth)
“Cambodia is rushing toward wind energy with six new projects planned in Mondulkiri following approval from the National Assembly. Minister of Mines and Energy Keo Rattanak described the decision as a ‘first step’ for adding wind to Cambodia’s energy mix, adding that wind power could be on the grid from 2026. But as construction begins, community members say they have received little information about what is happening to the forested hills of Mondulkiri province, which has the highest population of Indigenous people in Cambodia and a complicated history of land rights.”
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