Peruvian Amazon–In July, Greengrants’ International Financial Institutions Board awarded a $7,200 grant to the Federation of Native Communities of Ucayali (a member of the indigenous organization, AIDESEP, in the Ucayali watershed) to host conference of 80 indigenous leaders to discuss the new legislation and develop a common platform and plan of action to protest it. The meeting took place in August.
An article from Indian Country Today provides some background on this grant.
BACKGROUND:
For nine days, indigenous peoples blocked rivers, roads, and took over hydroelectric, oil and gas infrastructure. The government responded by declaring a state of emergency in 3 Amazonian states and sent in police and military.
The indigenous organizations suspended their protest after reaching an agreement with members of a Congressional committee who introduced legislation to repeal the most egregious legislation.
The congress voted 76 to 27 in favor of repealing Legislative decrees 1015 and 1073. This was an historic moment for the Peruvian Congress, which for the first time discussed the International Labor Organization’s Convention 169 on indigenous rights. One member of congress said that the political parties could only dream of matching the indigenous organizations’ ability to mobilize people.
PREVIOUS UNREST:
Machiguenga indigenous community members along Peru’s Urubamba River shut off transportation on that river and their organization COMARU (another Greengrants grantee in 2002 and 2005) announced that they had shut off all road and river transport leading to the Camisea Natural Gas installations and detained nine boats relating to the project. The Machiguenga have also announced plans to take over gas wells in Blocks 88 and 56.
Roads have been blocked in other parts of the Amazon as well. Indigenous Amazonians have taken over the installations of state oil company, Petroperu in the northern Department of Loreto and hundreds have taken over the Aramango hydroelectric plant near Muyo, Dept of Amazonas, cutting off power. The armed forces are being sent in.
Through the national indigenous organization, AIDESEP, the protesters have demanding negotiations with the President, Prime Minister, and head of Congress.
Conacami, Peru’s national organization of communities affected by mining (A 2007 Greengrants grantee), is supporting the action and also threatening protests.
For more Articles in Peruvian press (Spanish):
La Republica
El Comercio.com.pe