Right now indigenous communities are being denied their right to free prior and informed consent. The Peruvian government recently announced that it is opening up Block 192 for oil and gas exploration without proper safeguards that would stop the regular spills that occur in the region. It was only three years ago that the Peruvian government declared an environmental state of emergency in the region after the Ministry of Health “found high levels of barium, lead, chrome and petroleum-related compounds at different points in the Pastaza valley.” Today, indigenous communities and their leaders in the region are being denied their legal right to free, prior and informed consent on all infrastructure, energy and mining projects that affect their lives, territories and rights. We need you to join Village Earth and our partner in Colombia “Jenzera” now to demand that Peruvian President Ollanta Humala Tasso comply with the law that he signed into legislation in 2011, guaranteeing that indigenous people will have a say in further development.
View and sign petition below.
