English translation by Amazon Watch
The authorities of the communities of the Wampis Nation, found within the Morona district of the Loreto region, would like to address public opinion to express our rejection of the oil company GeoPark’s entry into oil concession Block 64.
Representatives of said company have entered the communities of Arutam and Mayuriaga and have created a commission of community members to be spokespeople of the communities that will be impacted by the oil activities, without taking into account that we have a larger organization that represents us and the entire Wampis Nation, both of Kanus (Santiago River, Amazon) and of Kankaim (Morona River, Loreto).
The company is trying to send this commission on trips to Lima, paid for by the company, to support oil activity in Wampis territory before the Cabinet President (PCM) and other public and private entities, while at the same time, promoting the presence of their campaigns to convince and recruit leaders back in the communities.
The manner in which the company is proceeding – ignoring the channel of representation established within the Wampis Nation – indicates that it is not a serious company, much less one respectful of indigenous peoples institutions. This means that the company will act with the same indifference to our rivers, forests, and lands and to the detriment of the collective subsistence system of the general population and especially the Wampis. This is so much more serious given that GeoPark is in partnership with Petroperu in Block 64.
Given this and taking into consideration the dire consequences that extractive industries have left behind and are still generating in other areas, such as in the Four River Basins, WE REJECT emphatically the commision created by the company and any disruptive attitude that has been adopted to weaken our Wampis communities. Likewise, WE ALERT the authorities of the Cabinet President (PCM), the Ministry of Culture, and other state entities to not allow themselves to be surprised by people who try to play the role of representatives without the endorsement of the Wampis Nation.
