Eye on the Amazon: The Official Blog of Amazon Watch
The Achuar to Canada: Meet the Delegates
Message from Jiyukam (Lucas) Irar Miik
April 18, 2012 | Gregor MacLennan
Be a part of this epic journey. Join the Cause and help them get there.
This weekend four Achuar leaders will travel from deep in the Amazon rainforest to Canada to confront Talisman Energy for drilling for oil in their ancestral territory. The group will travel to Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver to raise awareness about how oil drilling threatens their way of life and the health of their rainforest ecosystem, and will visit First Nations in the tar sands of Northern Alberta and on the British Columbian coast to build alliances to defend indigenous territories from destructive extractive industries.
This is an arduous six-day journey for Peas, Jiyukam, Ampush and Puwaanch from their rainforest home to the very different world of Canada, but the Achuar nation have sent them with an important message for the Canadian people: Canadian company Talisman Energy must stop drilling for oil in their ancestral territory and hunting and fishing grounds.
Heck of a Job, Brownie!
April 15, 2012
Here's unsurprising news hot off the presses from the Department of Every Screw-up Deserves a Raise:
In a company securities filing, Chevron revealed that Chairman and Chief Executive John Watson received about $25 million in total compensation for 2011, up 52 percent from 2010. Last year was, of course, the year in which Watson's company was ordered to pay $18 billion by an Ecuadorian court for oil spills in the Ecuadorian Amazon. What's worse, the company's oil spills off Brazil's coast prompted authorities to file criminal charges against Chevron executives and to propose an $11 billion fine of the company.
Chevron also increased the pay of General Counsel R.H. Pate by 75 percent to $7.8 million. Pate's compensation jumped in part due to his "outstanding management of Ecuador and other major litigation matters," according to the filing.
Not bad for an incompetent year's work, right?
Chumpi & the Waterfall
"We're going to prove that a future without the oil company is possible"
April 13, 2012 | Gregor MacLennan
Meet Chumpi, a young indigenous Achuar boy from Chicherta Village in the remote headwaters of an Amazon tributary deep in the Peruvian rainforest. Watch and share this award winning documentary about Chumpi's journey in search of the vision of his Achuar ancestors.
The Achuar are up against Talisman Energy and other ruthless companies that are on the verge of drilling for oil in their ancestral territory. Their culture and entire way of life is at stake.
The Achuar made this film to show you how their extraordinary rainforest home is critical to survival. Click here to learn more about the Achuar, their territory, and their struggle to preserve their way of life.
Electronic Music Alliance Embraces Fight Against Belo Monte Dam
April 12, 2012 | Maira Irigiray
Last weekend I was blown away at Lollapalooza Brazil in São Paulo, where several top-notch artists publicly joined the battle against the Belo Monte dam. Lollapaloza – an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock, and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths – also provides a platform for nonprofit orgs and other groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over three days.
At Lollapalooza São Paulo, more than 75,000 people came out to enjoy bands like The Crystal Method and Foo Fighters.
I was hosted by Janine Jordan, Executive Director of the Electronic Music Alliance and spouse of Ken Jordan, a member of The Crystal Method. While performing, Jordan stood in solidarity with the Movimento Xingu Vivo, wearing the movement's t-shirt and shouting "Stop Belo Monte!" during one of his sets.
A Journey for Clean Water
April 11, 2012 | Mitch Anderson
Water is the source of life. Without clean water we cannot survive. Emergildo Criollo
The years have passed slowly. When Emergildo was a child he saw the Texaco helicopters hovering above the forest canopy and thought they were "metal birds." Then he saw the rivers run black. He saw the fish go blind. The shaman died. The Boa, the spirit of the river, fled. Roads were built. And pipelines. And wells. And toxic waste pits. The colonists arrived. The animals disappeared. The forest was felled. The water tasted of oil and salt. His people became sick. His wife drank poisoned water. Two of his children died. Time moves slowly. A lawsuit was filed against the company. Arguments were made. Evidence was collected. Lawyers fought. Years passed. And more years. The company was found guilty. The lawyers fought some more. The fight continues. The rivers are still poisoned.
Please watch and share this video! Learn about how the Cofan (along with the Siona, Secoya and Quichua) are finding clean water solutions, like rainwater harvesting, for their communities. Support Emergildo and the global clean water relief effort at ClearWater.
