Indigenous Peoples in the Peruvian Amazon Protest for Rights to their Land and to Keep Petroleum in the Ground

20 May, 2009 - 19:08 — kelly

A situation developing in the Peruvian Amazon for over a month now has grown worse, as the Peruvian government prepares to deploy the army in the Amazon to lift blockades across rivers and roads by indigenous people opposed to oil, gas, logging and mining projects.

The indigenous peoples who have traditionally inhabited their lands have been peacefully protesting, striking, and blockading roads and pipelines since April 9.  The protest is, among other demands, against legislation that would strip their rights to what lies under their soil - oil and minerals wanted by some of the wealthiest corporations in the world.  As President Alan Garcia has famously stated, "We have to understand that when there are resources like oil, gas and timber, they don't belong only to the people who had the fortune to be born there because that would mean more than half of Peru's territory belongs to a few thousand people."

Huge parts of Peru's rainforest and indigenous peoples' land rights are threatened by its government's deals with several multinationals.  The Peruvian rainforest is the largest swath of Amazon outside Brazil and according to one study oil, gas and timber deals would cover an estimated 70% of the forest.  Allowing these developments to go forward would contribute to global warming in two ways - through deforestation to develop fossil fuel extraction, as well as the actual burning of those fossil fuels.

Check out the ad that our Peruvian ally Movimiento Ciudadano frente el Cambio Climatico (the Citizens Movement against Climate Change) ran in a major Peruvian paper just last week:

And follow the updates about the situation at Amazon Watch: www.amazonwatch.org


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Sonja Erickson says... on Jun 02,2009


Local Peru citizens challenge oil and gas companies that are taking over their lands. The locals choose to live in an isolated life style and want to continue living the way they have for thousands of years. The oil companies are making it hard for them to do so. They are trying to drill land, and take water from the people. Some companies are even trying to get the people to move, and now, they are finally standing up for themselves. I think this is very wise. They need to voice themselves and explain how it’s their right to live there and keep their old ways. Locals are starting to voice and protest, to keep their ancestral ways alive. People around the world should help. These locals are fighting against a huge enemy, it’s a miracle in itself that these disconnected people are being heard all over the world, we now need to step in and help.

Mallory says... on Jun 02,2009

Peru’s problems are sad to hear about. Probably the biggest disappointment is the fact that we can’t do a lot to help the people. I think the indigenous people have every right to protest against the destruction to the Amazon because it is their home, and they have lived there for a very long time. People are destroying what they have built for decades, and they aren’t even confronting the people that live there to see how they feel. In my opinion it is almost like if the people who live in the Amazon go to the city and burn down the other peoples houses. On the other hand there is a large amount of resources in the Amazon. There are a lot more resources in the Amazon that can be used than there are people who will use them there. With the world having limited resources the extra resources should be used so they don’t go to waste. I think an arrangement could be made so both the indigenous people, and the big companies can get what they want. Because the indigenous people were there first they should state what they want from the forest including the amount of land, and the amount of resources. They should take only what they need, so they can help the big companies. The companies should only go to the parts of land that are not being lived on by the indigenous people. They should be smart when they are going in there, they should get as many resources as they can, and produce something positive for everyone else. Not everyone is so close and can get natural resources as easily as the indigenous people so they will help out a lot of people by allowing the companies to work. If the government will spend more time trying to fix the problem between the city people and the indigenous people they will find a way to please both sides.

Lauren Yohey says... on Jun 02,2009

It’s sad to hear that the indigenous people’s way of life could be destroyed so easily and they don’t even know it yet. It’s good to hear that there are campaigns that are trying to help this situation. With protest holding 10,000 the government should start listening to what they have to say. People have the right to speak their minds and be heard. A home is a home and people have the right to fight for that. The only thing is the government and companies need to start listening.

            I think that the indigenous people have the right to protest because it is obviously the only way they can show their opinion. First of all it’s not fair to destroy an environment just for oil and natural gases. The world is so big it can’t be that hard to find somewhere else where people aren’t making a living.

            I think people around the world should help these people. They are in a small part of the world that they have know there whole lives and that’s the way there society has progressed but were trying to take that away. We as witnesses should voice our opinions and help the indigenous people in need. Traditions are very important to them and they are important to people all over the world. Ho would you feel if your way of life and home was taken away from you?

 

 

Anonymous says... on Jun 02,2009

The situation that is happening in the Peruvian Amazon is all over natural resources.  This multi-billion dollar industry is tearing groups of people apart. The two conflicting groups are Peru’s law department and the indigenous people that belong to the Amazon.  The Peruvian government is trying to take the last bit of land from these people.  President Alan Garcia said “We have to understand when there are resources like oil, gas and timber; they don’t belong only to the people who had the fortune to be born there”.  In other words, the small bits of land that these indigenous people own don’t belong to them.  Alberto Pizango, the leader of the protesting indigenous people agrees with the developing of the land, but from their own perspective.  Cutting down forests and stripping all the natural resources from the land is not what they want, and they have 30,000 people to back them up.       

Anonymous says... on Jun 02,2009

The indigenous people of Peru have every right to do what they are doing, which is defending the only thing they have. Selling that land for oil and other resources would wipe out up to 70% of the forest. The indigenous people are blockading and protecting their homes, it is starting to get violent and it doesn’t even need to. The government there could at least talk to the people of Peru and reason with them since they are taking the peoples resources. If this situation escalades then there could be a sort of civil war which would end up hurting the country more than leaving the people land and having a little less money. The other factor they need to consider is all the oil rigs they put up, Peru’s pollution level will dramatically increase which in the long run will do even more damage to the forest losing more than 70% of what they have now. The Amazon gives so much oxygen to the world and they are actually considering maiking all these deals with other countries.The government really needs to reconsider what they are doing before its too late and they lose what they need to survive

kyle northrup says... on Jun 02,2009

            The situation in Peru is engaging because for the first time, indigenous people are standing up in Peru. For people that aren’t very connected to the world, these people are getting their voices heard. I believe the government does not have the right to own every piece of land and at any moment manipulate it. The two conflicting groups are the indigenous people and the Peruvian government. Alberto Pizango is the head of the indigenous group and is fighting to keep the land from deforestation and oil and gas exploration. 30,000 people are fighting to keep the land so I think the government should work a deal with the indigenous people so everyone is happy.

Anonymous says... on Jun 02,2009

The indigenous people of Peru have every right to do what they are doing, which is defending the only thing they have. Selling that land for oil and other resources would wipe out up to 70% of the forest. The indigenous people are blockading and protecting their homes, it is starting to get violent and it doesn’t even need to. The government there could at least talk to the people of Peru and reason with them since they are taking the peoples resources. If this situation escalades then there could be a sort of civil war which would end up hurting the country more than leaving the people land and having a little less money. The other factor they need to consider is all the oil rigs they put up, Peru’s pollution level will dramatically increase which in the long run will do even more damage to the forest losing more than 70% of what they have now. The Amazon gives so much oxygen to the world and they are actually considering maiking all these deals with other countries.The government really needs to reconsider what they are doing before its too late and they lose what they need to survive

Shannon says... on Jun 02,2009

The conflict over the Peruvian rain forest seems to be a matter of common sense between the indiginous people and the gas and oil companies. The big time corporations calim that the resources are needed for every one, not just the people who live in the region. The indigious people state that it is there home land and they need it to survive. The reason that the oil refineries and the gas companies are tapping into this great vast land is becasue that resources every where else are being very limited.... to me it seems that we should keep all the rainforests preserved in every way possible becasue of the shortage every where else.When we use all of our resources in one place we go to others for answers... but what happens when there is no where else to go. This is also a matter of global warming... how can we keep deteriorating our resources.. the major corporations need to realize that they need to find another Earth friendly source of income! This is not a matter of business or money this is a matter of how we will be succesfull as human beings on this planet in the future! The indiginous people should have not boundries in dealing wtih the people who are trying to tap into their resources.. this is not just a fight for their land and their Amazon... this should be a lesson to everyone and this should be a fight for every one. The needs of the people and the needs of the politician and the major corporation leaders need to be one. The constant battle between the two will tear what ever natural resources we have apart.

Anonymous says... on Jun 02,2009

Garcia has no idea what he is talking about.  Why wouldn’t the land that indigenous people have lived on for thousands of years be theirs?  Being born there definitely gives the right to the land and all of its resources.  I can understand that companies need resources in order to operate and stay in business, but they need to obtain it from land that is actually theirs.  And this land is owned by the indigenous people.  They have the right to protest and own their land. 

Telluride High School

naomi says... on Jun 02,2009

In my opinion the indigenous people of Peru are doing the right thing by protesting to keep their land and shutting down oil pipelines, and blocking major roads and waterways. Because of the American and some British oil companies the indigenous people of Peru are getting land taken away and they are losing water right, also the pollution coming from the oil, gas, and mining projects is affecting them greatly. It is not only the pollution but the deforestation, the development of fossil fuels and the burning of fossil fuels that are contributing to global warming. The indigenous people don't need oil or gas because they walk everywhere, the projects that are going on are polluting their land when they are doing nothing to add to the global warming.

Jayleen says... on Jun 02,2009

Lately, there has been major contraversy in the Amazon Rainforest of Peru due to indigenous people fighting back. Personally,  I think the people are doing the right thing by protesting, and they have every right to, I mean, these poor people are getting their living land taken away to be exploited for oil. I would do just the same, who wouldn't?  First of all, deforestation alone is horrible. Cutting down these natural forests could easily cause great issues for the people and animals too, of course. Not only are they just cutting down these forests, but it's being done by oil companies! This will be hard on the people and country, but it also helps contrubute to the major issue of global warming. Having a forest, helps eliminate those gases, but without it, obviously, it won't. Also, having an oil rig there will just add to the environment issue. They're just really not helping at all here, are they?  These things will just eliminate all possibilities for a new forest to re-grow. I'm glad that people are actually stepping in because what these selfish corporations do will greatly affect them. Hopefully something will actually happen by these large protests because it just isn't fair.

Anonymous says... on Jun 02,2009


Garcia has no idea what he is talking about.  Why wouldn’t the land that indigenous people have lived on for thousands of years be theirs?  Being born there definitely gives the right to the land and all of its resources.  I can understand that companies need resources in order to operate and stay in business, but they need to obtain it from land that is actually theirs.  And this land is owned by the indigenous people.  They have the right to protest and own their land. 

            People don't understand that the whole world isn't theirs.  All of the indigenous people worked hard to live there in the past and still continue to do so.  This rainforest is some of the only possessions that they have left and it needs to be respected.  


 


 


 

 

nathan says... on Jun 02,2009

I find this very sad and disturbing. The fact that people are being forced off the land that they have owned for hundreds of years so that very rich men can become even richer. I think what Garcia is very wrong, and completely innocent people are having the trees cut down and their rivers polluted. When the Peruvian Government gave the rights of the forests to logging companies, they completely ignored opinion of the people and were thinking only of profit, not how Peru's citizens would benifit or suffer from the dicision. The original owners of the land have very little, and now they have even less, while the heads of oil and logging companies drive nice cars, own several houses and live a life of luxury. That is just wrong. It's like Robin Hood's motto but in reverse. "Steal from the very poor and give to the extremely rich". I honestly don't see how Garcia can sleep at night when the people of his country are being forced out of their homes and off their land. Even if you are lucky enough to have your part of the forest safe (for now), then your closest water source is most likely polluted from the oil drillers. What is being done to these indigenous peoples is disgusting, and I hope that someone puts a stop to it or that Garcia realizes how dispicable the situation is.

Jessi Solomon says... on Jun 02,2009

It's crazy how we can live our lives not even knowing what goes on in other places. For me, this is the first I have heard about the troubles in Peru. The Amazon Forest, although I have never had the experience to see it first hand, is one of a kind. Supposedly having hundreds of species and streching for miles, it sounds beatufil. It would be a real shame to ruin something to precious that nature has to offer. I can understand where the president and others are coming from, in that we are in shortage of many resources. So it is tough, ruining land for resources? It's hard to know what is right. And as for the indigenous people, they need their land. I don't think we can go in a take land they have been living on for hundreds of years away, but I know these people are pretty desperate. I just wish there was a simple solution to please everyone...

JOSEPHINE KATLYN BUSH <3 :) YAYA para esponol says... on Jun 02,2009

Is it because it is not in our homeland that we do not feel the damage done? What is happening in Peru is truly a sad thing, especially considering we have the power to change and make the lives of these indiginous people better. For the past 35 years, we have taken and destroyed land and the home to many for the oil that is not necessary. It has left thousands in the state of malnutrition, suffrage, sickness and as a whole society the crash of social disruption. What is even mroe appaling is that we have a world of water and only three percent of it is even drinkable yet we continue to damage it and make it unusable. The native people are mainly getting sick because of poisoned water, which is also used to grow food and making them sick from merely surviving.

It is ironic that their land is being ruined for others not even for the use of themselves. they get less than one percent of the oil that is produced by their land.

Although there are a few acts behind there is not a whole lot of movement that is happening. For instance there is the Camisea Natural Gas Project which is giving Texan tax dollars to stop the process. There is also the Threats to Northern Peru Achuar Indiginous People that is for protecting the people and the land. The land that the oil is being extracted from is one of the most diverse and high biodiversity in the southern hemisphere and it is being destroyed.

It is not just oil that is being taken from the land but rubber, timbewr and minerals.

The protesters throughout the world have gathered and spoken up to make a difference, they want to better oragnize the society as a whole. The amazon people are well respeceted and will do as they want to accomplish, it may take time but it is their voice that will be heard through the cries of mother nature. They have been blocking the roads and finally taking a stand for what is theirs, lets give a helping hand and become part of this process to a better world. It can begin at your home with reusing and conserving

Peyton says... on Jun 02,2009

I think that taking away all the rights of the Indigenous people of Peru is not the right thing to do. They have been there way longer than any other group of people and they have the right to keep their freedom and liberty. They should not have it taken away by the President because they have been inhabiting the area of Peru for a lot longer time than he has.

The government and police should be at least listening to the protests even if they do not agree because he should understand where they are coming from and why some 30,000 people are protesting against his decisions.

The land in Peru's Amazon region is being divided up into areas in the form of concessions and making rubber, petroleum, minerals and timber. Many people do not agree with the fact that most of the resourcesare just going to the citizens of Peru because they got them for themselves. I think that Peru would benefit from sharing their resources with non-citizens because they could develop relationships and strengthen their government so it would not be a bad idea to do that; however I do understand why they do not want to share the things they were born into.

Shelby says... on Jun 02,2009

            My reaction to the indigenous’ peoples protest in Peru is that they should keep fighting.  Not only were they born there, but they own the land that is now being taken over by oil, logging, and water companies.  The government is sending out troops to (potentially violently) stop something that (in my point of view) is ethically fair.  Although the protestors are causing the main roads, oil pumps, and waterways to be shut down it is a life or death situation for them.  These people are not physically harming anyone and it is their right to do whatever they wish on their land.  The president has also pressed criminal charges against the protest participators with “crimes against the state”.  Then it got me thinking…The country of Peru gets all of the state’s hydrocarbon and mineral wealth.  Meaning he does not give a darn about the indigenous people.  All the president wants is to make money off of the land that DOES NOT belong directly to him (of course, remember this is in my opinion)!  Unfortunate as it may be, I feel that the president is not man enough to stop something that is his problem.  He needs to call back-up so the indigenous people can be ripped off their land and later taken advantage of, only to make money for himself.

JOSEPHINE KATLYN BUSH <3 :) YAYA para esponol says... on Jun 02,2009

Is it because it is not in our homeland that we do not feel the damage done? What is happening in Peru is truly a sad thing, especially considering we have the power to change and make the lives of these indiginous people better. For the past 35 years, we have taken and destroyed land and the home to many for the oil that is not necessary. It has left thousands in the state of malnutrition, suffrage, sickness and as a whole society the crash of social disruption. What is even mroe appaling is that we have a world of water and only three percent of it is even drinkable yet we continue to damage it and make it unusable. The native people are mainly getting sick because of poisoned water, which is also used to grow food and making them sick from merely surviving.

It is ironic that their land is being ruined for others not even for the use of themselves. they get less than one percent of the oil that is produced by their land.

Although there are a few acts behind there is not a whole lot of movement that is happening. For instance there is the Camisea Natural Gas Project which is giving Texan tax dollars to stop the process. There is also the Threats to Northern Peru Achuar Indiginous People that is for protecting the people and the land. The land that the oil is being extracted from is one of the most diverse and high biodiversity in the southern hemisphere and it is being destroyed.

It is not just oil that is being taken from the land but rubber, timbewr and minerals.

The protesters throughout the world have gathered and spoken up to make a difference, they want to better oragnize the society as a whole. The amazon people are well respeceted and will do as they want to accomplish, it may take time but it is their voice that will be heard through the cries of mother nature. They have been blocking the roads and finally taking a stand for what is theirs, lets give a helping hand and become part of this process to a better world. It can begin at your home with reusing and conserving

Peyton says... on Jun 02,2009

I think that taking away all the rights of the Indigenous people of Peru is not the right thing to do. They have been there way longer than any other group of people and they have the right to keep their freedom and liberty. They should not have it taken away by the President because they have been inhabiting the area of Peru for a lot longer time than he has.

The government and police should be at least listening to the protests even if they do not agree because he should understand where they are coming from and why some 30,000 people are protesting against his decisions.

The land in Peru's Amazon region is being divided up into areas in the form of concessions and making rubber, petroleum, minerals and timber. Many people do not agree with the fact that most of the resourcesare just going to the citizens of Peru because they got them for themselves. I think that Peru would benefit from sharing their resources with non-citizens because they could develop relationships and strengthen their government so it would not be a bad idea to do that; however I do understand why they do not want to share the things they were born into.

Peyton says... on Jun 02,2009

I think that taking away all the rights of the Indigenous people of Peru is not the right thing to do. They have been there way longer than any other group of people and they have the right to keep their freedom and liberty. They should not have it taken away by the President because they have been inhabiting the area of Peru for a lot longer time than he has.

The government and police should be at least listening to the protests even if they do not agree because he should understand where they are coming from and why some 30,000 people are protesting against his decisions.

The land in Peru's Amazon region is being divided up into areas in the form of concessions and making rubber, petroleum, minerals and timber. Many people do not agree with the fact that most of the resourcesare just going to the citizens of Peru because they got them for themselves. I think that Peru would benefit from sharing their resources with non-citizens because they could develop relationships and strengthen their government so it would not be a bad idea to do that; however I do understand why they do not want to share the things they were born into.

Shelby says... on Jun 02,2009

            My reaction to the indigenous’ peoples protest in Peru is that they should keep fighting.  Not only were they born there, but they own the land that is now being taken over by oil, logging, and water companies.  The government is sending out troops to (potentially violently) stop something that (in my point of view) is ethically fair.  Although the protestors are causing the main roads, oil pumps, and waterways to be shut down it is a life or death situation for them.  These people are not physically harming anyone and it is their right to do whatever they wish on their land.  The president has also pressed criminal charges against the protest participators with “crimes against the state”.  Then it got me thinking…The country of Peru gets all of the state’s hydrocarbon and mineral wealth.  Meaning he does not give a darn about the indigenous people.  All the president wants is to make money off of the land that DOES NOT belong directly to him (of course, remember this is in my opinion)!  Unfortunate as it may be, I feel that the president is not man enough to stop something that is his problem.  He needs to call back-up so the indigenous people can be ripped off their land and later taken advantage of, only to make money for himself.

JOSEPHINE KATLYN BUSH says... on Jun 02,2009

Is it because it is not in our homeland that we do not feel the damage done? What is happening in Peru is truly a sad thing, especially considering we have the power to change and make the lives of these indiginous people better. For the past 35 years, we have taken and destroyed land and the home to many for the oil that is not necessary. It has left thousands in the state of malnutrition, suffrage, sickness and as a whole society the crash of social disruption. What is even mroe appaling is that we have a world of water and only three percent of it is even drinkable yet we continue to damage it and make it unusable. The native people are mainly getting sick because of poisoned water, which is also used to grow food and making them sick from merely surviving.

It is ironic that their land is being ruined for others not even for the use of themselves. they get less than one percent of the oil that is produced by their land.

Although there are a few acts behind there is not a whole lot of movement that is happening. For instance there is the Camisea Natural Gas Project which is giving Texan tax dollars to stop the process. There is also the Threats to Northern Peru Achuar Indiginous People that is for protecting the people and the land. The land that the oil is being extracted from is one of the most diverse and high biodiversity in the southern hemisphere and it is being destroyed.

It is not just oil that is being taken from the land but rubber, timbewr and minerals.

The protesters throughout the world have gathered and spoken up to make a difference, they want to better oragnize the society as a whole. The amazon people are well respeceted and will do as they want to accomplish, it may take time but it is their voice that will be heard through the cries of mother nature. They have been blocking the roads and finally taking a stand for what is theirs, lets give a helping hand and become part of this process to a better world. It can begin at your home with reusing and conserving

Kulani Loves Summer says... on Jun 02,2009

If people don’t already realize that this invasion of these peoples land is wrong they must be a little confused. I know myself that the United States has a low supply of oil on our own lands, but that doesn't make it right to go and substitute out gassy and destructive loss for the loss of others actual purposeful land. This land that these indigenous Amazonian folks live in is all they really have, basically no technology, no industrial businesses, and more. All I am really saying is that it is not right to invade their land for our guilty pleasure. At least it is good to know that the 'locals' of this land are speaking out and saying their part, which is all they can really do in the time being.

¡¡¡Emy Ludwig!!! says... on Jun 02,2009

Peru's problems are sad. The indigenous people that have inhabited their lands have been peacefully protesting.  The big wealth corporations in the world want the soil, oil and minerals found in and under there land. I think its wrong that parts of Peru's rainforest and peoples' land rights are threatened by its government's deals with several multinationals. On one study they did they found that oil, gas and timber deals would cover about 70% of the forest. With this development it would contribute to global warming in two days, because of deforestaton to develop fossil fuels extraction and also burning them, that will pollute the environment and destroy homes for animals and people who live near or in the forest.

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