Ecuadorian Indians Killed in Environmental Protest
Fighting to save the environment almost always guarantees that death will be involved somewhere; the question is: Whose?
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Amazon Indians were battling police on Wednesday, in a protest against laws they believed would encourage mining and oil drilling on their lands. Taking place on the Upano River in Ecuador’s southeastern Morona Santiago jungle province, this brutal encounter killed 1 Indian and 2 civilians; and left 9 other Indians and 40 police wounded. According to Ecuador’s Amazon Indian federation, CONFENAIE, the 2 civilians who were killed were actually Shuar Indians.
Amazon Indians fear that President Rafael Correa will bring ruin to their ancestral lands. So, since Monday, they have blocked highways to protest the laws. The Shuar Indians–who were involved in Wednesday’s protest—dominate a large portion of Ecuador’s southeastern jungles. They have been part of the most formidable resistance to oil exploration in their region since it began in the 1970s.
And the President’s response to all of this? He claims the Indians are “infantile” for opposing laws that would deny them prior consultation before exploiting their lands. He also blamed the Indians for the bloodshed that ensued. What’s more, according to Government Minister Gustavo Jalkh, the police used “progressive force” to clear the blockade, but denied that guns were fired. And yet 3 Indians are dead, and 9 wounded. That seems a bit shady to me.
Needless to say, a leader of CONAIE, Ecuador’s national Indian confederation, blamed Correa for the violence and declared there will be a “permanent mobilization” against his government.
Unfortunately, Ecuador Indians are not the only ones facing these kinds of problems. Clashes have also been occurring in Chile and Peru, where 10 Indians and 23 police were left for dead in June, due to a governmental crackdown on a similar Amazon highway blockade.
It is really amazing to see groups of people band together, not only to fight for a cause, but to have such conviction that they will put their lives on the line for it as well. When it comes to be your turn to take up the environmental fight, will you have the courage to sacrifice your life for it as well?
By Heidi Marshall
Tags: activist, amazon rainforest, Ecuador, Indians
I don’t think I would have that kind of courage to fight for the environment and maybe get killed for it, though for them it is more a question of land rights, which these governments are happy to sell to the highest bidder, no matter who lives there and for how long. Development usually wins in these situations, unfortunately, but hopefully global pressure (and cash) especially from rich nations might improve these kinds of situations.