Achuar elders in Washintsa, Peru.
It is amazing how people can work together for a common good. Peruvian indigenous indians have joined forces to fight off the likely sale of a large chunk of the Amazon.
"For the first time isolated indigenous groups are uniting to fight the Government’s plans to auction off 75 per cent of the Amazon — which accounts for nearly two thirds of the country’s territory — to oil, gas and mining companies.
They oppose 11 decrees issued by President García, under special legislative powers granted to him by the Peruvian Congress, to enact a free trade agreement with the US. These would allow companies to bypass indigenous communities to obtain permits for exploration and extraction of natural resources, logging and the building of hydroelectric dams.
Indigenous leaders say that the laws will affect more than 50 Amazonian nations representing hundreds of thousands of Indians."
“If an oil company tries to come here, we will block its path and block the rivers. We will not let them in and we will take strong action,” Jempe Wasum Kukush, a local leader, said. Another, Tayajin Shuwi Peas, warns: “We are not scared and we will fight to the death over this.”
Adversity binds people together and these courageous people are saying no more and they are also taking action. Some have been killed but these indigenous people are fighting for their homes, their families and their lives and there is no second place for them.
Maori don't live in our national parks. But if our parks are abused in the way that the amazon might be, then isn't it the same result? For maori and these peruvian indians?
We must also fight the abuse of whoever is trying to destroy our whenua.
Footnote - Peru has 13% of the total amazon within it's national borders.
2 comments:
"For the first time isolated indigenous groups are uniting to fight the Government’s plans..."
uniting. indigenous groups. aaah beautiful.
Yes mate - this is a good example for us all.
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