Organizations denounce Peru government’s
failure to protect uncontacted tribes
The Matsés have denounced oil
exploration in the proposed Yavarí Tapiche reserve,
which is part of their ancestral lands.
© Survival
International
In
an open
letter to the Peruvian authorities, Survival
International, Rainforest
Foundation Norway and Peruvian indigenous
organization ORPIO have denounced the Peruvian
government’s failure to protect uncontacted tribes.
The
organizations are calling for the government to create
an indigenous reserve, known as Yavari-Tapiche, for
uncontacted tribes along the Peru-Brazil border, and to
put a stop to outsiders entering the territory.
In
the letter
the three organizations state: “Uncontacted tribes
are the most vulnerable peoples on the planet. They have
made the decision to be isolated and this must be
respected…
“The
Yavarí Tapiche region is home to uncontacted peoples.
Despite knowing of their existence and enormous
vulnerability, the government has failed to guarantee
their protection…
“These
tribal peoples face catastrophe unless their land is
protected. Only by creating the proposed Yavarí Tapiche
indigenous reserve and implementing effective protection
mechanisms that prevent the entry of outsiders, will the
indigenous people be given the chance to determine their
own futures…
“We
are also concerned about the government’s refusal to
exclude oil exploration within the proposed reserve…. No
exploration or exploitation of oil should ever be
carried out on territories inhabited by uncontacted
Indians…
“We
believe that the oil company Pacific Stratus is poised
to begin operations this year in areas where there are
uncontacted tribes…
“By
failing to both create the reserve and to rule out oil
exploration, Peru is violating both domestic and
international law…
“If
the government does not act urgently to protect the
uncontacted peoples of Yavarí Tapiche, we fear that they
will not survive. Another tribe will disappear from the
face of the earth, before the eyes of the
world.”
Survival’s
Director Stephen Corry said: “We’ve repeatedly called
for the Yavarí-Tapiche indigenous reserve to be created
and for oil exploration to be ruled out, but the
government has dragged its feet. The lives of
uncontacted Indians are on the line but once again,
economic interests take priority.”
Background
Briefing
-
The Yavarí Tapiche region is part of the Amazon
Uncontacted Frontier. This area straddles the
borders of Peru and Brazil and is home to more
uncontacted tribes than anywhere else in the world. -
Pacific Stratus, part of Canadian oil company Pacific
E&P, began
its first phase of oil exploration in 2012, despite
protests from indigenous organizations and Survival
International. It is believed that the company will
begin its second phase soon. - Oil exploration is
devastating for uncontacted tribes. Over 50%
of the Nahua tribe died as a result of exploration in
the 80s. - The indigenous organization ORPIO is
suing the government over the threat of oil
exploration. - National indigenous organization
AIDESEP has been calling for the
creation of the reserve for
over 14 years.
Read
this online: http://www.survivalinternational.org/news/11608
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