Colombian indigenous leaders from the U'wa people visited friends old and new in San Francisco and Los Angeles in late September of 2010.
Uwa
Amazon in Focus 2010
In this year’s Amazon in Focus, we are pleased to present to you powerful and insightful articles from our campaigners in the field. The journeys and events that inspired these articles demonstrate the breadth of our work and, at the same time, the depth of our connection to our indigenous partners and the rainforest.
Profile in Courage: Berito Cobaría
Berito burst onto the international scene in 1997, when he first traveled to California to face down Occidental Petroleum. The Los Angeles-based oil company had been scheming to drill for oil on U'wa territory, against the vociferous opposition of the U'wa. Berito's charismatic message inspired Amazon Watch – along with dozens of sister...
Photos from Our 2010 Annual Luncheon
Roberto "Berito" Cobaria and Gilberto Cobaria from the U'wa people of Colombia were our guest speakers. James Cameron joined the luncheon by video to present A Message from Pandora, a special feature about the battle to stop the Belo Monte Dam.
Oil Daily: Indigenous Groups Oppose Colombia Drilling
The Oil Daily | New York – As the Colombian government seeks to expand oil and gas drilling to raise production, it is licensing blocks in increasingly remote areas, infringing on the territory of indigenous tribes, according to environmentalists and groups rep- resenting indigenous people.Today, most of the country's oil output
Amazon Watch is building on more than 25 years of radical and effective solidarity with Indigenous peoples across the Amazon Basin.
U'wa Visit to NYC and Washington, DC
Photos from a week-long visit of U'wa Association leaders Gilberto Cobaría (President) and Berito Cobaría (International Coordinator) to the East Coast, co-facilitated by the National Museum of the American Indian and Amazon Watch.
Obama's War for Oil in Colombia
Counterpunch | This past summer, President Obama announced that he had signed an agreement with Colombia to grant the U.S. military access to 7 military bases in Colombia.
Miles de indígenas debatirán en Cali sobre la presencia militar y empresarial extranjera
EFE | Unos 25.000 indígenas llegaron hoy a la ciudad de Cali (suroeste) para debatir sobre la presencia de soldados estadounidenses en bases militares colombianas y la posibilidad de que aumente el número de multinacionales mineras interesadas en sus territorios.El consejero mayor del Consejo Regional Indígena del Cauca (
Colombia's U'wa Reiterate Opposition to Ecopetrol Gas Drilling in their Ancestral Territory
International Investors Warned Against Heightened Risk of Oil Operations Within Indigenous Territories Without Consent
Washington, DC – Colombia's U'wa indigenous people will carry out a mobilization near Cubará, Colombia today in opposition to natural resource extraction projects in their ancestral territory.
U'wa Resistance Against Petroleum and Megaprojects
Thursday, October 8, 2009By: Actualidad ÉtnicaThe U'wa indigenous community, that has opposed the exploitation of natural resources in their sacred and ancestral territory since 1995, announced that they will carry out a resistance action in Cubará, Boyacá on October 12 and 13.
COLOMBIA: Resistencia Uwa contra petroleras y megaproyectos
La comunidad indígena Uwa, que desde 1995 se ha opuesto a la explotación de recursos naturales en su territorio sagrado y ancestral, anunció que simultáneamente a la gran Minga Nacional, este 12 y 13 de octubre realizará una actividad de resistencia en Cubará, Boyacá, para manifestar su oposición contra las actividade
Invasión de Ecopetrol y FFMM, violación de derechos más grande contra los U'wa
En un documento entregado al director HSE y Gestión Social de Ecopetrol, Napo León Gómez y al Teniente Coronel Juan Carlos González, Comandante del Batallón Especial Energético Vial No.1, la comunidad U'wa dejó claro, una vez más, su rechazo a cualquier tipo de actividad dentro de su territorio que atente su cosmovisi
U'wa Statements on the 10th Anniversary of the Murder of Terry, Ingrid, and Lahe
CONTEXT: March 4, 2009 marks a decade after the murder in Colombia of Terence Freitas, Ingrid Washinawatok and Lahe'ena'e Gay, who were all passionate advocates of indigenous rights around the world. The three activists were kidnapped by armed men during a visit to the territory of Colombia’s U’wa indigenous people.
Indígenas representantes de comunidad U'wa pidieron en Nueva York veto a Ecopetrol
Portafolio | Con apoyo de ONG norteamericana Amazon Watch, dos líderes se reunieron con representantes del JP Morgan y con una docena de entidades financieras para solicitarles que no compren acciones."La empresa está violando los derechos indígenas con su explotación petrolera en el territorio ancestral U'wa", según Andrew Mi
Colombian Indigenous Travel to New York to Urge Investors Not to Buy Shares of Colombian State Oil Company Ecopetrol
U’wa leaders spoke with representatives of JP Morgan Chase and potential investors to voice concerns over Ecopetrol’s activity on their ancestral lands
Washington D.C. — Two leaders of Colombia’s U’wa community traveled to New York City last week to meet with investment firms, urging them not to buy shares of the Colombian state oil company Ecopetrol.
Colombia: Indígenas mantienen movilización
Prensa Latina | Las comunidades indígenas colombianas se mantienen movilizadas y anunciaron que el 10 de noviembre marcharán hacia Bogotá para continuar reclamando sus derechos.Ese día unos 10 mil indígenas del departamento del Cauca emprenderán desde la ciudad de Cali una caminata hacia Bogotá, como parte de la movilización d
COLOMBIA: Where Dialogue Seems Impossible
IPS | BOGOTA, Oct 28 (IPS) - Dialogue – or, more accurately, the lack thereof – was the common denominator in two high-profile events Sunday in the western Colombian city of Cali, demonstrating to what extent this vehicle of mutual understanding is missing in this civil war-torn South American country.Former
U'wa Indigenous Community Peacefully Occupies Ecopetrol's Gibraltar Platform to Demand Cancellation of Oil Project
1,000 U'wa Participate in 3-Day Action Despite Warnings and Intimidation Attempts by Military
Bogotá, Colombia — Nearly one thousand members of the U’wa indigenous people from the cloud forests of northeastern Colombia participated in a historic march and peaceful occupation of Ecopetrol’s oil platform in protest of oil project on their sacred ancestral lands.
LOS UWAS MARCHAMOS POR LA VIDA
Concientes que la vida lo da la naturaleza, los U’was continuamos defendiendo nuestra Madre Tierra y hoy como pioneros de esa defensa, queremos hacer un gesto simbólico visitando en forma pacífica y ordenado las instalaciones de ECOPETROL (Bloque Sirirí Pozo Gibraltar 3), que se encuentran ubicado en nuestra propiedad, p
Investors Urged not to Buy Ecopetrol Shares on NYSE over Human Rights Concerns
Colombian Oil Company Violates Indigenous Rights, Industry Human Rights Benchmarks
See Letter to JP Morgan and Industry Analysts regarding Ecopetrol IPO: York, N.Y.
U'wa Denuncia Publica
Una vez mas queremos anexar o expresar nuestro mas sincero denuncia publica ante la actitud del gobierno y la empresa Ecopetrol y sus políticas en la bolsa de Nueva York que nuestras autoridades indígenas y los cabildos U`wa en muchas oportunidades al gobierno y a la empresa les a exigido el respeto al territorio ancestral
Amazon Watch to JPMorgan Chase Bank: Don't underwrite Ecopetrol
September 17, 2008Amy DavidsenDirector of Environmental AffairsJPMorgan Chase270 Park Avenue, Floor 29New York, NY 10017Dear Ms. Davidson,Thank you for agreeing to speak with Amazon Watch this week about Ecopetrol’s Colombia operations.
ONIC: Denunciamos y Rechazamos el Tratado de Libre Comercio
ORGANIZACIÓN NACIONAL INDIGENA DE COLOMBIA-ONICDenunciamos y Rechazamos el TLCPor estos días deambula en Washington una Comisión más de Embajadores de bolsillo cooptados por el Gobierno Nacional que implora ante el congreso, los legisladores y políticos norteamericanas la aprobación del Tratado de Libre Co
Carta de los UWA al hombre blanco
Nosotros nacemos siendo hijos de la tierra... eso no lo podemos cambiar los indios ni tampoco el hombre blanco (riowa).
Oxy’s Disturbing Human Rights Record in Colombia Highlighted in Permanent People’s Tribunal
For the past three years, the Italy-based Permanent People’s Tribunal has examined in detail the role transnational corporations have played in Colombia’s on-going civil conflict. According to the Tribunal, “Transnational businesses that operate in Colombia . . .
Two U’wa Indigenous People Assassinated in Saravena, Arauca
In a public communiqué, this July 9th the Association of Traditional Indigenous Councils and Authorities of the Department of Arauca ASCATIDAR, denounced the assassination of two indigenous people in the jurisdiction of Saravena.
McCain Urged to Press Colombia President on Indigenous Rights, Environmental Protection
US Presidential Candidate Must Insist on Respect for Human Rights, Environment and Rule of Law during Cartagena Visit, Groups Warn
Washington D.C. — As he travels to Cartagena today, John McCain was urged to press Colombia President Alvaro Uribe to guarantee respect for indigenous rights and the environment.Mr.
McCain Heads Today for Colombia, Where Adviser Has Long Had Ties
The New York Times | Since 1998, the lobbying firm headed until recently by Charlie Black, one of Mr. McCain’s closest confidants, has earned more than $1.8 million representing the Occidental Petroleum Corporation, the leading foreign producer of gas and oil in Colombia.
Open Letter to Senator McCain about Colombia Visit
1 July 2008Senator John McCain241 Russell Senate Office BuildingWashington, DC 20510VIA FACSIMILESenator McCain, On the occasion of your visit to Colombia, Amazon Watch would like to draw your attention to several issues of deep concern for human rights in Colombia, and to respectfully
