Video Exposes Tropical Forest Destruction in Bolivia: Environmental Groups Call on US Agency to Cancel Loan to ENRON/SHELL for Gas Pipeline Dramatic Aerial Footage Available Upon Request See Video, Photos and Letter to OPIC (July 12 2000) | Amazon Watch
Amazon Watch

Video Exposes Tropical Forest Destruction in Bolivia: Environmental Groups Call on US Agency to Cancel Loan to ENRON/SHELL for Gas Pipeline Dramatic Aerial Footage Available Upon Request See Video, Photos and Letter to OPIC (July 12 2000)

July 25, 2000 | For Immediate Release


AMAZON WATCH

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Washington, DC – In a meeting yesterday, environmental organizations Friends of the Earth-US and Amazon Watch called on George Muñoz, the President of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) to withdraw its $200 million loan for the Enron/Shell Cuiaba gas pipeline from Bolivia to Brazil. Groups also urged Muñoz to come to Bolivia to see first hand the extensive damage caused by the pipeline. Amazon Watch and FOE presented to OPIC dramatic video footage showing a number of significant and irreversible environmental impacts, which they say is grounds for cancellation of the loan.

“U.S. tax dollars should not be used for the destruction of pristine tropical forests. OPIC must immediately suspend financing for the Cuiaba pipeline,” said Atossa Soltani, Executive Director of Amazon Watch. “Cancellation of this loan will send an important message to US companies who are needlessly destroying ecosystems of global importance.”

The companies have been criticized for allowing the pipeline to cut through the middle of the largest intact area of Chiquitano Tropical Forest and Pantanal wetlands, when less damaging alternative routes existed.

During the one-hour meeting, concerns were raised by FoE and Amazon Watch including: failure to avoid routing through fragile areas; pollution and damage to local water supplies; failure to control illegal hunting and logging access to the pipeline right of way; a failed conservation program to save what remains of the Chiquitano forest; mismanaged indigenous land titling program; and a failure to resolve construction impacts on the local communities.

While local communities in Bolivia continue to bring concerns to OPIC and the project sponsors, often these claims are readily dismissed.

“OPIC and Enron are showing little respect for local communities and the environment, let alone so-called safeguards required by their loan agreement,” said Jon Sohn, International Policy Analyst for Friends of the Earth. “The failed implementation of OPIC’s policies in this project demonstrate the need for an Ombudsman position to independently review environmental and social issues for all OPIC projects.”

Amazon Watch has just released a 15-minute video, which includes aerial and on-site footage of the pipeline. The video provides a report on the status of OPIC’s loan conditions to Enron and Shell and the controversy surrounding the $20 million conservation Fund set up by the companies to promote conservation in the region. The conservation program has failed due to lack of local community and indigenous community decision making control.

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