AIDESEP, the organization representing Peruvian Amazonian peoples, alongside Indigenous autonomous governments, have declared a permanent state of emergency in the Peruvian Amazon following the discovery of Katakaibo leader Mariano Asacama’s tortured and murdered body on July 15, in Huanuco.
Isacama had been missing for 24 days. Together with the Kakataibo Federation (Fenacoka), AIDESEP condemns the lack of government action against criminal organizations and illegal economies, which endanger their rights, territories, and lives. This dire situation compels Amazonian Indigenous organizations to defend themselves through self-defense and Indigenous justice mechanisms. They call upon the Peruvian government and international institutions to reassess their strategies and support the Indigenous organizations in protecting their territories.
In the statement issued today, Peruvian Indigenous peoples send a direct message to the international community:
“We call on the governments of Norway, England, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, the United States, and others to evaluate the failure of their climate and forestry investments in Peru in the context of this anti-Amazon violence; and to organize large-scale comprehensive plans that promote the Indigenous economy with respect for the standing forest as the only alternative to stop the murder of leaders and the destruction of the Amazon.”
Isacama is the sixth Kakataibo leader killed in an area where their territories face constant threats from coca growers, who supply transnational drug trafficking networks. He is also the 35th Amazonian leader killed in the last decade due to their defense of their territories. As documented in the Amazon Underworld report, organized crime is now a principal driver of deforestation and the main threat to Indigenous rights in the Amazon.
Marcelo Odicio of Fencaoka issued the following statement:
“The Kakataibo people will not allow any more assassinations or invasions. Our guards are mobilized and firm. We are forming new alliances with our Asháninka brothers to face the danger.”
Jorge Pérez, President of AIDESEP, issued the following statement:
“The Indigenous peoples of the Peruvian Amazon are living at a critical moment in our history. We announce that the death of our brother Mariano Isacama will mark a turning point in the struggle for our territorial rights. We declare a State of Emergency. We announce that we will defend ourselves from the invaders using our ancestral self-protection mechanisms. In this way we will force the government to fulfill its responsibilities.”
Raphael Hoetmer, Western Amazon Director of Amazon Watch, issued the following statement:
“The Peruvian government and international institutions so far have completely abandoned Amazonian peoples in their fight to contain organized crime destroying the Amazon and their livelihoods. They need to step up and decisively support their territorial rights and defense mechanisms, not only as this is their obligation to guarantee Indigenous rights, but also because Indigenous stewardship is the only proven strategy to effectively protect the Amazon from illegal economies.”
