Indigenous leaders critize sentence on Bagua conflict

Representatives from indigenous communities have criticized the sentence handed down to three military and police generals who were involved in a deadly confrontation between protesters and Peruvian soldiers and police on a remote jungle highway in June 2009. The three generals led the government’s response to the protests. They received sentences in a military court [...]

Pizango launches presidential campaign

Alberto Pizango, the head of the Interethnic Association for the Development of Peru’s Jungle (Aidesep), has launched his campaign for the presidential elections in April 2011, daily La Republica reported. The indigenous leader made the announcement on Thursday backed by representatives from Aidesep. His party, an Alliance for an Alternative for Humanity, or Aphu, will [...]

Survival International: call for napalm bombing of ‘savages’ in Peru’s Amazon wins “Most Racist Article of the Year Award”

An article implying that Peruvian natives should be bombed with napalm has been named by London-based Survival International as the ‘most racist article’ published in the last year by the mainstream media.

Number of social conflicts reaches year-high in June

Social conflicts in Peru have shot up from 132 in March 2008 to 273 this past month, daily El Comercio  reported Wednesday. Of the 273 social conflicts tracked last month, more than half were related to environmental concerns and 83 percent are still active, said Peru’s Ombudswoman, Beatriz Merino. Last month’s most heated and severe [...]

Camisea gas contract to be revised, Peru fears inability to meet internal demand

The Peruvian government is currently reviewing the contract it signed with the Camisea Gas Consortium to permit gas exports to Mexico, now that gas reserves have been proven to be much lower than earlier reported. The current contract would seriously diminish supplies for the local market. “We began the revision on May 19,” said Minister [...]

Peru Government adopts conciliatory tone after Amazon clashes

In a conciliatory move, after two months of telling indigenous communities that the government would not review legislation aimed to open up the Peruvian Amazon to more foreign investment, Peru’s Premier Yehude Simon asked Congress to repeal the controversial decrees by June 18. “I understand that the members of Congress are upset,” said Simon. “But I [...]

Indigenous communities pursue strike, charges pressed against Alberto Pizango for “insurgency call”

As indigenous communities throughout Peru’s jungle provinces continue to block highways, waterways and oil pipelines, Peru’s Justice Minister pressed criminal charges Friday against Alberto Pizango, who called for an “insurgency” against the government last week. “People have to learn that their actions have consequences,” said Justice Minister Rosario Fernández. “When Mr. Pizango called for an [...]

Protests and state of emergency in Amazon region continue, negotiations have so far failed to find solution

After negotiations with premier Yehude Simon fell through on Thursday, indigenous communities in Peru’s Amazon region decided to pursue their protests against the contamination of their ancestral lands by mining companies, and to demand the repeal of a series of decrees they say are promoting unrestricted oil exploration. “Peru is one country, where each and [...]

Navy gunboat and Perenco Co. ship break indigenous Napo River blockade

A Peruvian Navy gunboat and at least one other boat belonging to oil company Perenco broke through an indigenous blockade on the Napo River, where indigenous communities are protesting the contamination of their ancestral lands by mining companies, and demanding the repeal of a series of laws they say are promoting unrestricted oil exploration. The [...]

Repsol to invest $500 million per year in Peru until $6 billion natural gas project completed

Spain’s energy giant Repsol has confirmed that it will invest $500 million per year until a $6 billion oil and natural gas project in southeastern Peru is completed, daily La República reported Wednesday. “We hope to invest $500 million every year, over the course of the next five years,” said Repsol Executive president, Antonio Brufau. [...]