Lima, Peru, April 20, (Servindi) – The president of the Peruvian Rainforest Inter-Ethnic Development Association (AIDESEP), Alberto Pizango Chota, Monday signed an agreement with the Peruvian government for the creation of a framework to seek a solution to the demands of indigenous peoples in the Peruvian Amazon.
The agreement was reached alter a four hour meeting of indigenous leaders with Prime Minister Yehude Simon and Environmental Minister, Antonio Brack Egg.
Daysi Zapata, the vice president of AIDESEP, and Saúl Puerta Peña, its secretary, also participated in the meeting that sought a solution to the non-violent blockade of river traffic by indigenous peoples across the Amazon begun on April 9.
AIDESEP told Servindi news services that indigenous leaders will also seek a solution in relation to its published platform of action by meeting with Javier Velásquez Quesquén, the president of the Peruvian Congress today.
In March, Pizango Chota demanded the repeal of legislative decrees 1020, 1064, 1080, 1081, 1089 and 1090 for “impinging upon the rights of indigenous peoples, violating the Constitution as well as Convention 169 of the International Labour Organization”.
A prior mobilization of Amazonian indigenous peoples was suspended last August after “promises made by Congress” to revise the presidential decrees.
“Far from carrying out its promise, Congress instead passed Law 29317 that modified and incorporated diverse articles of Decree 1090 known as the Forest and Fauna Law”, explained AIDESEP leaders.
