Tell Peru: Protect Indigenous Rights & Save The Amazon

The Peruvian government has pushed through legislation that could allow extractive and large-scale farming companies to rapidly destroy their Amazon rainforest. 

Indigenous peoples have peacefully protested for two months demanding their lawful say in decrees that will contribute to the devastation of the Amazon's ecology and peoples, and be disastrous for the global climate. But last weekend President Garcia responded: sending in special forces to suppress protests in violent clashes, and labelling the protesters as terrorists.

These indigenous groups are on the frontline of the struggle to protect our earth -- Let's stand with them and call on President Alan Garcia (who is widely known to be sensitive to his international reputation) to immediately stop the violence and open up dialogue. Click below to sign the urgent global petition and a prominent and well-respected Latin-American politician will deliver it to the government on our behalf. 

http://www.avaaz.org/en/peru_stop_violence

More than 70 per cent of the Peruvian Amazon is now up for grabs. Giant oil and gas companies, like the Anglo-French Perenco and the North Americans ConocoPhillips and Talisman Energy, have already pledged multi-billionaire investments in the region. These extractive industries have a very poor record of bringing benefits to local people and preserving the environment in developing countries - which is why indigenous groups are asking for internationally-recognized rights to consultation on the new laws. 

For decades the world and indigenous peoples have watched as extractive industries devastated the rainforest that is home to some and a vital treasure to us all (some climate scientists call the Amazon the "lungs of the planet" - breathing in the carbon emissions that cause global warming and producing oxygen). 

The protests in Peru are the biggest yet and the most desperate, we can't afford to let them fail. Sign the petition, and encourage your friends and family to join us, so we can help bring justice to the indigenous peoples of Peru and prevent further acts of violence from all parties.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/peru_stop_violence

In solidarity,

Luis, Paula, Alice, Ricken, Graziela, Ben, Brett, Iain, Pascal, Raj, Taren and the entire Avaaz team.

Sources:

Civilians and police killed: Human rights lawyers accuse the government of a cover-up, BBC, 10 June:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8092453.stm

Civil Society Condemns Massacre of Indigenous People in Peru, 8 June:
http://www.globalwitness.org/media_library_detail.php/765/en/global_witness_condems_violence_in_peru

On Peru's rift over economic policy and the controversial free trade agreement with the US , Reuters, 9 June:
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN09374943

Research Article: Oil and Gas Projects in the Western Amazon: Threats to Wilderness, Biodiversity, and Indigenous Peoples, M. Finer et al:
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi/10.1371/journal.pone.0002932

Oil companies ‘should withdraw’ as Peru ‘faces its Tiananmen’, Survival International, 8 June:
http://www.survival-international.org/news/4640

Peru's Amazon oil deals denounced, BBC News, 3 February:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6326741.stm

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Comments, Suggestions and Stories

  1. Lyndsey Price

    Lyndsey Price Yonkers, NY @ 02:08PM PT Jan 09

    The Amazon rainforest has a lot of healing herbs and natural resources that have yet to be discovered. 

  2. Renato Vaccaro

    Renato Vaccaro @ 02:26PM PT Jun 13

    El gobierno y el presidente Garcia deben aprender a respetar a los grupos minoritarios y, adema's, la legislacio'n internacional de la OIT.
    La soberbia ya no conducira' a nada al partido de gobierno.

  3. Joan Hunnicutt

    Joan Hunnicutt Citrus Heights, CA @ 03:08PM PT Jun 12

    The Amazon forest generates a huge amount of the world's oxygen supply.  Encroachment by soybean farms has done its share of damage along with historic slash and burn methodology and the poisening of water supplies for indigenous villages along with other attempts to develop it for big oil, etc.

  4. Neill Tyson

    Neill Tyson @ 01:28AM PT Jun 12

    Because our future generations need the rainforests. Not only the amazing amount of indigeous plants,animals and insects that inhabit these lands but also the human race depend on it.
    IT IS CRIMINAL NOT TO ACT IMMEDIATELY.

  5. a k

    a k holmen, WI @ 12:19AM PT Jun 12
    Pledge fulfilled Jun 12, 2009!

    Thanks for your support!

    Thanks for your signing this petition! During the last months, the Peruvian government has pushed through legislation that could allow extractive and large-scale farming companies to rapidly destroy their Amazon rainforest. For decades the world and indigenous peoples have watched as extractive industries devastated the rainforest that is home to some and a vital treasure to us all.

  6. Ann Cawley

    Ann Cawley Saint Joseph, MO @ 07:02PM PT Jun 11

    Thanks for your support!

    Thanks for your signing this petition! During the last months, the Peruvian government has pushed through legislation that could allow extractive and large-scale farming companies to rapidly destroy their Amazon rainforest. For decades the world and indigenous peoples have watched as extractive industries devastated the rainforest that is home to some and a vital treasure to us all.

  7. Joycey Berry

    Joycey Berry Canton, NC @ 09:07AM PT Jun 11

    Thank you for making the pledge "Tell Peru: Protect Indigenous Rights & Save The Amazon"

    You've already signed this petition!
    According to our records, you--or someone with your email address--signed this petition at the page

  8. r s

    r s holmen, WI @ 07:54AM PT Jun 11
    Pledge fulfilled Jun 11, 2009!

    Hi,

    Peru has suffered violent clashes between indigenous groups desperately trying to protect the Amazon and the government, who has pushed through legislation allowing intensive mining, logging and large scale farming in the rainforest.

    I just signed a petition urging President Alan García to immediately cease the suppression of indigenous protests, to suspend laws that open up the Amazon to extractive industries, and to engage in a genuine dialogue with the indigenous groups.

    Click on the link below to support the campaign:

    http://www.avaaz.org/en/peru_stop_violence/98.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK

    Thanks!

    ----------------------

    Dear friends,

    The Peruvian government has pushed through legislation that could allow extractive and large-scale farming companies to rapidly destroy their Amazon rainforest.

    Indigenous peoples have peacefully protested for two months demanding their lawful say in decrees that will contribute to the devastation of the Amazon's ecology and peoples, and be disastrous for the global climate. But last weekend President Garcia responded: sending in special forces to suppress protests in violent clashes, and labelling the protesters as terrorists.

    These indigenous groups are on the frontline of the struggle to protect our earth -- Let's stand with them and call on President Alan Garcia (who is widely known to be sensitive to his international reputation) to immediately stop the violence and open up dialogue. Click below to sign the urgent global petition and a prominent and well-respected Latin-American politician will deliver it to the government on our behalf.

    http://www.avaaz.org/en/peru_stop_violence/98.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK

    More than 70 per cent of the Peruvian Amazon is now up for grabs. Giant oil and gas companies, like the Anglo-French Perenco and the North Americans ConocoPhillips and Talisman Energy, have already pledged multi-billionaire investments in the region. These extractive industries have a very poor record of bringing benefits to local people and preserving the environment in developing countries - which is why indigenous groups are asking for internationally-recognized rights to consultation on the new laws.

    For decades the world and indigenous peoples have watched as extractive industries devastated the rainforest that is home to some and a vital treasure to us all (some climate scientists call the Amazon the "lungs of the planet" - breathing in the carbon emissions that cause global warming and producing oxygen).

    The protests in Peru are the biggest yet and the most desperate, we can't afford to let them fail. Sign the petition, and encourage your friends and family to join us, so we can help bring justice to the indigenous peoples of Peru and prevent further acts of violence from all parties.

    http://www.avaaz.org/en/peru_stop_violence/98.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK

    In solidarity,

    Luis, Paula, Alice, Ricken, Graziela, Ben, Brett, Iain, Pascal, Raj, Taren and the entire Avaaz team.

    Sources:

    # Civilians and police killed: Human rights lawyers accuse the government of a cover-up, BBC, 10 June:
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8092453.stm

    # Civil Society Condemns Massacre of Indigenous People in Peru, 8 June:
    http://www.globalwitness.org/media_library_detail.php/765/en/global_witness_condems_violence_in_peru

    # On Peru's rift over economic policy and the controversial free trade agreement with the US , Reuters, 9 June:
    http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN09374943

    # Research Article: Oil and Gas Projects in the Western Amazon: Threats to Wilderness, Biodiversity, and Indigenous Peoples, M. Finer et al:
    http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0002932

    # Oil companies ‘should withdraw’ as Peru ‘faces its Tiananmen’, Survival International, 8 June:
    http://www.survival-international.org/news/4640

    # Peru's Amazon oil deals denounced, BBC News, 3 February:
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6326741.stm

    # Amazon Watch website:
    http://www.amazonwatch.org/

  9. rosemary rannes

    rosemary rannes Salem, NH @ 10:48PM PT Jun 10
    Pledge fulfilled Jun 10, 2009!

    Alan thank you for posting this critical Pledge Action.
    I have signed at avvaz.org and Care2.com as well.

    Here are links to Chevron Toxico illustrating the damage and destruction inherent in the oil and chemicals >
    http://chevrontoxico.com/
    http://chevrontoxico.com/about/rainforest-chernobyl/

    As advocates for humanity as well as the environment I know that individually and collectively we will remain vigilant in every way possible to protect the Indigenous peoples of Peru, Ecuador and throughout the Amazon ensuring their dignity, rights, resources and all that lies in between !

  10. Alan Haggard

    Alan Haggard San Diego, CA @ 08:09PM PT Jun 10

    Initiated this Pledge!

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