Crossed spears left by uncontacted Indians in the region where Perenco is working. Photo: Marek Wolodzko/Survival InternationalPeru's government has given the green light to an Anglo-French company to drill for oil in the Amazon, just thirteen days after more than 30 people died in protests against the exploitation of the rainforest.
The project, located on land inhabited by two tribes who have no contact with the outside world, is believed to be Peru’s biggest oil discovery in 30 years. According to UK-based Survival International, the company, Perenco, a major gas supplier to the UK, has in the past denied any tribes to live there.
These indigenous tribes are on the verge of extinction due to disease and loss of land to multi-national companies, which are destroying the pristine forests for oil drilling, gas exploration, hydroelectric damming and logging throughout the Amazon.
Until recently, Perenco had been blocked from entering the area by local indigenous protesters. With help from Peru’s armed forces, the company managed to break through the blockade on at least one occasion.
While protests against the company were taking place, Perenco’s chairman, Francois Perrodo, scion of one of the wealthiest families in France, pledged to invest USD2 billion in the project.
The government’s green light to the project comes just days after protests by tribes in northern Peru led to the deaths of both police officers and indigenous protesters.
Contamination
Perenco intends to build new platforms and wells involving airlifting in, amongst other things, 42,000 sacks of cement. It admits ‘contamination of soil’ and ‘contamination of water’ as a possible consequences of its work, threatening the survival of the indigenous tribes. More seriously, the Indians face the real threat of contagion from diseases to which they have no immunity.
Survival International’s director, Stephen Corry, said, "Anyone who hoped that the dreadful violence of the past few weeks might have made Peru’s government act with a bit more sensitivity towards the indigenous people of the Amazon will be really dismayed at this news. The timing couldn’t be worse – the government is trying to present a more friendly image in public, but as far as the oil companies are concerned, it looks like business as usual.’
Human rights groups say the root of the conflict lies in the government’s failure to consult with the indigenous tribes before selling millions of dollars worth of exploration rights to foreign companies. Though oil exploration had begun in the 1920's, unfettered exploitation of natural resources begun in 2006 after the government signed Free Trade Agreement with the US.
The project, located on land inhabited by two tribes who have no contact with the outside world, is believed to be Peru’s biggest oil discovery in 30 years. According to UK-based Survival International, the company, Perenco, a major gas supplier to the UK, has in the past denied any tribes to live there.
These indigenous tribes are on the verge of extinction due to disease and loss of land to multi-national companies, which are destroying the pristine forests for oil drilling, gas exploration, hydroelectric damming and logging throughout the Amazon.
Until recently, Perenco had been blocked from entering the area by local indigenous protesters. With help from Peru’s armed forces, the company managed to break through the blockade on at least one occasion.
While protests against the company were taking place, Perenco’s chairman, Francois Perrodo, scion of one of the wealthiest families in France, pledged to invest USD2 billion in the project.
The government’s green light to the project comes just days after protests by tribes in northern Peru led to the deaths of both police officers and indigenous protesters.
Contamination
Perenco intends to build new platforms and wells involving airlifting in, amongst other things, 42,000 sacks of cement. It admits ‘contamination of soil’ and ‘contamination of water’ as a possible consequences of its work, threatening the survival of the indigenous tribes. More seriously, the Indians face the real threat of contagion from diseases to which they have no immunity.
Survival International’s director, Stephen Corry, said, "Anyone who hoped that the dreadful violence of the past few weeks might have made Peru’s government act with a bit more sensitivity towards the indigenous people of the Amazon will be really dismayed at this news. The timing couldn’t be worse – the government is trying to present a more friendly image in public, but as far as the oil companies are concerned, it looks like business as usual.’
Human rights groups say the root of the conflict lies in the government’s failure to consult with the indigenous tribes before selling millions of dollars worth of exploration rights to foreign companies. Though oil exploration had begun in the 1920's, unfettered exploitation of natural resources begun in 2006 after the government signed Free Trade Agreement with the US.
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