Washington, DC – Roberto Perez, President of the U’wa Traditional Authority in the first days of his US visit, confronted a surprised Occidental Petroleum (Oxy) Vice President, Larry Meriage, in the Congressional office of Georgia Representative Cynthia McKinney, ranking member on the House International Relations Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights.
According to McKinney, Meriage had requested a meeting with her in apparent response to her remarks on Oxy’s controversial oil project yesterday during the house floor debate on the US Military aid package to Colombia. When Oxy officials arrived at her office this morning, they were surprised to also be greeted by U’wa President and eight leaders of the U’wa Defense Working Group ready to discuss their demand that Oxy immediately suspend its oil project on the sacred ancestral land of the U’wa people.
During the intense one-hour meeting, McKinney asked Oxy pointed questions about the impacts of the project on the U’wa and asked the U’wa President to respond. When pressed, Meriage admitted on record that the U’wa had not been consulted on the company’s plans to drill the Gibraltar 1 oil well.
Oxy’s admission about the lack of consultation gives strong credence to the ongoing legal challenges to Oxy’s drilling permit in international and Colombian courts. Consultation with indigenous communities is a legal requirement both under the Colombian Constitution and under international conventions such as Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization (ILO).
Oxy began construction of the drill site in early February. In defense of their land and culture, currently some 2700 U’wa people, local farmers, students and union members are attempting to stop Oxy’s construction works on the Gibraltar 1 drill site in Northeast Colombia through peaceful protest.
The U’wa continue to stress their strong opposition to the oil project have repeatedly stated their willingness to die defending their land and culture.
“Oxy must immediately suspend their project pending a mediated settlement with the U’wa,” said Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney from Georgia’s 4th District. “If any deaths occur in association with this project, the blood will be on Occidental’s hands.”
“Oil maintains the balance of the world and is the blood of our mother. In accordance with our natural laws which don’t permit the exploitation or destruction of nature, we demand that you respect our rights, our culture, and our lives,” declared U’wa President Roberto Perez.
The U’wa President will travel to Washington, New York and Boston during the next week for meetings with the US Government and Oxy investors in order to urge for a suspension of the oil project.
For interviews, contact Atossa Soltani 202-256-9795 or Lauren Sullivan at 415-595-7246.
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