Indigenous peoples are suing an Amazon exploitation project in Peru to the UN

A bill introduced by the government of Peru would threaten more than nine million hectares of Amazon rainforesta total of 13.5% of the entire Peruvian Amazon, which also affects a number 25 indigenous peoples in isolation.

The project proposes to remove the existence of the PIACI (peoples in isolation and in first contact) from the process and to create indigenous reserves for the Ministry of Culture, Environment and eight other state entities and indigenous organizations and leave it in the hands of local administrators and universities.

Tabea casiqueSecretary of the Inter-Ethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Jungle on behalf of other ethnic groups, filed a complaint with the UN to demand the rights of indigenous peoples and their land.

Deforested parts of the Amazon are no longer the lungs of the planet and are starting to release carbon; extractive activities in Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Brazil have produced this reality

According to Casique, the legal initiative leaves it to the regional governors to “decide the existence of the PIACIs”. It is a “conflict of interest” because “they promote extractive economic activities” within these areas, hitherto protected by law and international agreements, denounced this representative of the Asheninka people in the Permanent UN Forum on Indigenous Issueswhich meets in New York until April 28.

According to Casique, the text was presented by Congressman Jorge Alberto Morante, of Fuerza Popular, It is “discriminatory and an attack on indigenous peoples” and a “serious threat of genocide” for this population “that knows no borders”.

“If an oil or logging company goes to that native conservation area, we would put these brothers out,” he warned. About 7,500 members of indigenous peoples are affected by the measure, according to AFP.

“The Amazon is at a point of no return”claimed Cacique. “We ask that this law be stopped and rather that more attention be paid to the PIACI brothers.”

“The project is unconstitutional because it aims to push back human rights and violate the principles of decentralization and current law,” says a report prepared by AIDESEP, which brings together nine regional organizations, 109 federations and 2,439 indigenous communities.

Likewise, it “directly violates the right to life and health of these extremely vulnerable populations, and violates their constitutionally protected fundamental rights.”