FPIC | Amazon Watch - Page 17
Amazon Watch

FPIC

Peru's Mysterious "Lot Fitzcarrald" Threatens Uncontacted Tribes

The Ecologist | Peru is set to embark on a major expansion of gas operations in the Camisea region in the Amazon – a move which could decimate Indigenous peoples, both those in 'voluntary isolation' and others in the early stages of contact.

Ecuador's Indigenous Leaders Oppose New Oil Exploration Plans in Amazon Region

Country set to open 11th licensing round of oil exploration in 10 million acres of pristine, undeveloped rainforest

Earth Island Journal | According to Amazon Watch, the 11th round will affect up to 10 million acres of primary forest that encompass the ancestral territories of the Indigenous Andoa, Achuar, Kichwa, Sapara, Shiwiar, Shuar, and Waorani nations. Ecuador's largest Indigenous organizations, including the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorean Amazon...

A Kichwa Victory Against Big Oil and Government in New Documentary

Indian Country Today | The Kichwa people of Sarayaku won two major victories this year: in April, for the first time in their history, the government acknowledged responsibility for illegally licensing an oil company to do business on indigenous territory without the community's consent; and in July the ICHR ruled that the government must consult with indigenous...

Sarayaku Indigenous People and Amnesty International Win Film Award

Amnesty International | "We weren't expecting this award – it came as a surprise. Being chosen from among hundreds of films is a great honour," said Sarayaku filmmaker Eriberto Gualinga, who received the award on behalf of his community in Washington DC.

Amazon Watch is building on more than 25 years of radical and effective solidarity with Indigenous peoples across the Amazon Basin.

DONATE NOW

Victory! Talisman to Withdraw from Peru

Achuar (FENAP) President Peas Peas Ayui reacts to the news that Talisman Energy will leave Achuar ancestral territory

"We have fought long and hard against Talisman's drilling in our territory because of the negative environmental and social impacts we have seen from oil drilling around the world," said Peas Peas Ayui, President of the National Achuar Federation.

Talisman Energy Leaving Peru as It Continues to Shed Assets

Reuters | Canada's Talisman Energy Inc is giving up its eight-year-long effort to produce oil in Peru, the company said on Thursday, as it continues to shed assets in a bid to boost its share price.

Talisman Energy Withdraws from Peruvian Amazon

Achuar people celebrate a major victory for indigenous rights

Calgary, Canada – Today Talisman Energy announced its decision to cease oil exploration activities in the Peruvian Amazon and to exit the country upon completion of ongoing commercial transactions. "Now that Talisman is leaving we can focus on achieving our own vision for development and leave a healthy territory for future generations,"...

Historic Day of Celebration in Sarayaku about the IACHR Sentence

We, as the legitimate authorities and governors of our territories, reaffirm the full exercise of our constitutional collective rights that guarantee the continuity of our identity and the territorial life spaces of the Selva Viviente (Living Jungle).

Governments Prioritize Profit Over Indigenous Peoples' Rights

Amnesty International | Governments across the Americas are putting profit before the physical and cultural survival of thousands of Indigenous peoples, said Amnesty International in a briefing paper published ahead of the International Day of Indigenous Peoples.

Sarayaku to Their Allies: "Thank You"

Amazon Watch has been proud to accompany the Kichwa indigenous people of Sarayaku. In the wake of the historic sentence coming forth from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, our colleagues in Sarayaku issued the following expression of appreciation for all the solidarity they have felt over the years.

Court Favors Indigenous in Struggle Against Oil Drilling

Inter-American Human Rights Court finds Ecuadorean govt guilty of violating physical and cultural wellbeing of the Sarayaku people

Earth Island Journal | "When I heard about the court's decision, I cried," said Cristina Gualinga. "I thought, 'After fighting for so long, after 30 years of invasions, the companies are finally going to leave us alone'."

Cowboys and Indians

A ruling on an oil project reasserts the indigenous' right to consultation

The Economist | The Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that Ecuador's government had ignored the rights of Sarayaku's residents when granting permission for an energy project – putting governments in the Americas on notice that big physical investments are not legal until the indigenous people they affect have had their say.

Human Rights Court Sets New Standard on Consultation of Indigenous Peoples

Continent-wide Implications as Inter-American Court Finds Ecuador Government Guilty of Rights Violations in the Sarayaku Case

Quito, Ecuador – The Inter-American Court has issued an unequivocal sentence in favor of the Kichwa indigenous community of Sarayaku, culminating an 8-year process that establishes new guidelines on the right to consultation of indigenous peoples.

Sarayaku Press Statement on Inter-American Court Sentence

Today the Inter-American Court of Human Rights declared that the Ecuadorian state is responsible under international law for the violation of the Sarayaku people's rights to prior consultation, communal property, life, judicial protection, and other important rights.

Peru's Repression of Mining Protesters Condemned

Environment News Service | The Peruvian government must immediately halt violent repression of mining protesters, more than 80 environmental and human rights organizations demanded today.

Peru's Indigenous People: From García to Humala Their Battle Goes On

Indigenous people in Peru feel betrayed by Ollanta Humala's government, which, despite promising dialogue, is continuing with the aggressive policies of its predecessor

The Guardian | The new Humala government promised there would be no more Baguas, but "the politics of the president of the republic are nothing more than the continuation of the aggressive politics of Alan García," says Alberto Pizango.

The Age of Extreme Oil: "This Used to Be a Forest?"

The region now resembles the Sahara – fine sand left behind by evaporated tailings ponds stretching into a treeless horizon.

The Globe and Mail | "All human technology fails," said Ampush Ayui Chayat, an Achuar delegate from Perú. "Talisman has insisted their new technology will change everything. But if this is how Canadians let oil companies operate in their own land, how can we trust them in ours?"

Humala Takes Off His Gloves

NACLA | The Peruvian right is celebrating Humala's betrayal of his electoral promises, while the popular organizations that helped bring Humala to power continue to mobilize against Peru's neoliberal economic model.

Jungle Justice: Ecuador Recognizes Rights Violations in Sarayaku Case

An unprecedented site visit by the IAHCR sheds light on testimony of abuses and a surprising admission from the state

Sarayaku in Ecuador is one of the more unique places in the Amazon. The community has beaten back oil drilling plans on their lands for over a decade, and their plan de vida for future development and land management is visionary.

Talisman Energy Stirs Resistance

Indigenous Peruvians accuse company of creating tension for access to jungle

Fast Forward Weekly | "This is the fourth time a commission of Achuar leaders are coming here to Calgary to speak about the same thing. The Achuar people affiliated with FENAP are reclaiming their territorial rights. There is no space for Talisman Energy to enter."

Indigenous Peruvian Community Locked in Dispute with Oil Company

IPS | Toronto, Canada – An indigenous group in the Amazon rain forest took its anti-oil message to Canada in a case rife with accusations of social and environmental damage that highlights the issue of securing consent prior to commencing exploration operations.

An Amazon Precedent

The Sarayaku case may significantly increase indigenous rights over resources

Analytica | Sarayaku today is a postcard-pretty rain forest village strung along the banks of the Bobonaza River, with a sandy main square on a bluff high above the waters. A decade ago, the 1,200-resident village nearly became a battleground as Ecuadorian troops sought to impose the rights of an Argentine-US consortium to explore the area for crude oil.

Human Rights Court In Unprecedented Visit to Sarayaku

Top judges of the Inter-American Human Rights Court visited the Kichwa indigenous community of Sarayaku to investigate their long-running case against the Ecuadorian government over rights abuses.

Achuar Leaders Take Their Cause to Canada

Four Achuar leaders traveled from deep in the Amazon rainforest to Canada to confront Talisman Energy for drilling for oil in their ancestral territory.

They've Come a Long Way to Protect Their Amazon Home

Ottawa Citizen | Dressed in brightly coloured headgear and clothing, these indigenous leaders from another world might not look like they represent a real threat to one of Canada's international energy giants. But looks can be deceiving.

Ecuador's President Admits Errors in Handling of Sarayaku Oil Exploration

Platts | Ecuador improperly handled relations with the indigenous community of Sarayaku a decade ago in a dispute over oil exploration, president Rafael Correa said Tuesday in a meeting with the head of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which is hearing a case against the country about the issue.