An Amazonian Indian leader wearing a head-dress made of red, yellow and black Toucan feathers urged Burlington Resources on Wednesday to drop plans to explore for oil on two large tracts of land in the jungles of southeast Ecuador.
“My people are not going to permit this oil development,” Pablo Tsere, president of the Shuar People’s Federation, told the company’s annual shareholder meeting in Houston Wednesday. “We ask you to withdraw from our
land.”
Burlington Chief Executive Bobby Shackouls told Tsere that the company is sensitive to the concerns of indigenous people in the area and will continue to consult with them. “We respect your traditions and your lands,” he said.
However, Shackouls gave no indication that the company is considering withdrawal from Block 23, in which it holds a 25% stake, and Block 24, which it operates and owns outright.
Environmental and human rights group Amazon Watch says there is widespread opposition to oil exploration and development in the two areas among the indigenous Shuar, Achuar and Kichwa people.
Tsere said the Shuar people will take whatever measures are necessary to prevent exploration and development. “We will defend our territory,” he told reporters. “We will not allow ourselves to be humiliated.”
Shackouls said most indigenous people support oil exploration, which he said would bring benefits such as healthcare, roads and infrastructure.
Burlingtoncurrently has a modest amount of oil production, less than 10,000 barrels per day, from two blocks in the OrienteBasinin Ecuador. It has not yet undertaken any exploration activity on Block 24 in the Amazon Basin.
Argentina’s Compania General de Combustibles (CGC), which operates Block 23 with a 50% interest, has done some seismic surveying but its work has been seriously delayed by opposition from within the local communities.
Burlington recently pulled out of Block 63 in Peru’s Amazon region after facing similar opposition from local communities, ceding its 25% stake to partner Occidental Petroleum.
Burlingtonspokesman James Bartlett said that should not be seen as setting a precedent for the current dispute over the two blocks in Ecuador.