Interviews available upon request
San Francisco, CA – Kichwa indigenous leaders from the Sarayaku community in the Ecuadorian Amazon will be in the Bay Area for a series of events from October 14-21. Tupac Amaru Viteri, Sarayaku Vice President; Marlon Santi, former CONAIE national indigenous federation President; and Nina Sicha Gualinga, Sarayaku youth leader will travel to highlight their July 2012 Inter-American Human Rights Court victory that sets new guidelines for rights to consultation of indigenous communities. The outcome of the case has widespread implications for both Latin American nations and multinational companies operating within them.
Sarayaku, a rainforest community deep in the Ecuadorian Amazon, brought the case in 2006 over rights abuses suffered at the hands of the government as Argentine company CGC – in partnership with US-based ConocoPhillips/Burlington Resources – pursued oil exploration against the community’s wishes.
The ruling was handed down as the administration of Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa prepared to expand oil exploration in an oil-block auction planned for this month known as the “11th Round.” The 10 million acres of Amazon rainforest represented by these oil blocks lie entirely within legally titled indigenous territory. Around the Americas, indigenous people face increasing pressure for natural resource extraction on their territories and are demanding respect for their health and homelands.
Public events featuring Sarayaku leaders:
MONDAY, OCTOBER 15th
12-1:30 pm: AW 7th Annual Luncheon and Celebration at the Julia Morgan Ballroom
More info here
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16th
12:00 -1:30 pm Brown-bag presentation in the Pachamama Alliance Conference Room
Location: Thoreau Center for Sustainability, 1009 General Kennedy Rd. The Presidio, San Francisco
6:30 – 9:30 pm: Indigenous Peoples Confront False Climate Solutions
Film screening, photo exhibit and talk with indigenous leaders from Brazil, Mexico, Ecuador and US.
Location: The David Brower Center, Tamalpais Room, 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17th
Available specifically for media interviews
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18th
11:30-1:00 pm: Legal Briefing of historic Inter-American Human Rights Court case
Location: Earth Justice office, Bay Conference room, 50 California Street, Suite 500, San Francisco
7:00 – 8:30 pm: Children of the Jaguar Film Screening and Discussion
The SF premiere of Children of the Jaguar, which recently won “Best Documentary” in the National Geographic All Roads Film Festival. Followed by a talk with Sarayaku leaders.
Location: 518 Valencia in San Francisco
FRIDAY – SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19th – 21st
Sarayaku leaders will be presenting at the Bioneers Annual Conference
Location: San Rafael Marin Center
More information on these events is available here.