Quito, Ecuador – This week more than 130 renowned academics and intellectuals from all over the world sent a letter to Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa. Scholars including Vandana Shiva, James Hansen, Naomi Klein, Boaventura de Souza Santos, Arturo Escobar, and Timothy Mitchell, among others, headed up the letter. Here are links to versions in Spanish and in English.
The signatories wrote to support the Ecuadorian people in their fight to keep the oil under the ground in Yasuní-ITT, one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. The area is also home to the Tagaeri and Taromenane, two indigenous Waorani clans who live in voluntary isolation. Last month President Correa decided to abandon the initiative and drill the area.
However, Ecuadorians are pushing for a popular referendum that would reverse Correa’s decision. Recent polls show that over 80% of the country supports the initiative and in recent weeks thousands have taken to the streets to defend it.
The scholars, who come from five continents and 22 countries, see the initiative as “a revolutionary step in the fight for a post-petroleum civilization.” They also expressed concern at reports that the government is attempting to block a popular referendum on the question, is cracking down on media, and is expelling students who are defending the initiative. The signatories ended the letter to Correa with a call for a “democratic solution,” and expressed their hope that the initiative, along with the country’s respect for indigenous rights, does not perish.
Scholars interested in adding their name to the letter should contact:
Ivonne Yanez (in Ecuador) at sudamerica@oilwatch.org.
Note: Blog post/release by Oilwatch was translated by Amazon Watch.
