San Francisco, CA – ConocoPhillips CEO James Mulva is in the spotlight today in San Francisco over his company’s vast oil concessions on the ancestral territories of indigenous rainforest communities in the Amazon basin. Visiting the Bay Area to deliver a keynote speech at Bank of America’s annual Investment Conference, Mr. Mulva has yet to make a firm commitment that ConocoPhillips will respect the rights and clearly stated wishes of the Shuar, Achuar and Kichwa peoples of Ecuador and Peru and stay off their lands.
The Houston-based oil major has drilling rights to a larger area of the Amazon rainforest than any other US energy company — roughly three times the size of New Jersey —putting it at the heart of some of the most contested and controversial oil concessions in the entire Amazon Basin. The oil blocks, which Conoco acquired when it bought Burlington Resources in March 2006, intrude massively on the pristine rainforest territories of thousands of indigenous peoples who continue to voice opposition to oil drilling on their lands.
Three concessions in particular have become major flashpoint projects — blocks 23 and 24 in Ecuador, and block 104 in Peru. Here, the Achuar, Shuar, and Kichwa are steadfastly opposed to any drilling following the devastation to indigenous lands, cultures and health wrought by the oil industry’s activities in other parts of the Amazon. To date they have paralyzed any effort to move forward with oil activities. Speaking at this year’s annual general meeting, Mr. Mulva told representatives of the indigenous groups that the blocks were “under review.”
Supporters of the Shuar, Achuar and Kichwa will be gathered outside the Ritz Carlton Hotel today, where the conference is taking place, to make clear their hope that ConocoPhillips will do the right thing in Ecuador. “What Conoco decides will be a litmus test of their commitments on environmental and social responsibility, as well as smart business,” said Kevin Koenig of Amazon Watch.
A letter written by Shuar and Achuar leaders, addressed and delivered to Mr. Mulva, states, “We reject the entrance of oil extraction companies into our territory because we are conscious that their activities will only bring contamination and misery to our indigenous communities. [We] ask you once more that ConocoPhillips respect our will, our culture and our rights by desisting for ever entering into Blocks 23 and 24.”
To read the entire letter or view video and photos of the region and communities visit: www.amazonwatch.org.
