Amazonian Indigenous Peoples call upon Peruvian state to protect their territories, rights and lives as threats escalate

Pucallpa, Peru – Indigenous organisations and communities have called upon the Peruvian government to do more to protect their lands and leaders following a recent spike in death threats and intimidation targeting Indigenous rights and land defenders.

In a declaration issued following a meeting of Indigenous defenders in the city of Pucallpa, national Amazonian Indigenous Peoples organisation AIDESEP, along with Ucayali-based organisations such as ORAU, FECONAU and FENACOCA, called upon the Peruvian State to accelerate the titling of their communal territories, implement effective protection measures for Indigenous defenders at risk and address the expansion of illegal forms of economic activity in the region.

The emergency meeting was organised following an increase in threats against Indigenous leaders across Ucayali and the neighbouring regions of Junin and Huanuco in recent weeks and months. On 14 October 2020, Shipibo leader and FECONAU president, Miguel Guimaraes, received death threats via Whatsapp, only a week after denouncing threats to Indigenous territories and communities in a hearing with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

Declaration of Indigenous Peoples, Defenders of Human Rights and Forests

Ucayali – Peru

21 October 2020

We, leaders of the diverse Asheninka, Ashaninka, Shipibo and Kakataibo peoples, located in the regions of Ucayali, Huanuco and Junin, gathered in the city of Pucallpa, the 19, 20 and 21 October 2020, reiterate that we are societies that have existed since before the creation of the Peruvian State, and we are the legitimate owners of our ancestral territories.

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rise in cases of assassinations, threats and intimidation against our leaders, communal authorities and elders, who are defending our collective and individual rights against attacks on our culture and defending our territories against deforestation and a growth in illegal fishing which affects our lives and all the peoples of the Amazon.

Considering the seriousness of this situation, we reaffirm that the principal struggle of the Amazonian Indigenous movement is the defence of our territories and respect for our collective rights.

During the COVID-19 pandemic we have saved many lives with our traditional knowledge and wisdom, based on our principles of collective solidarity and reciprocity, the struggle in defence of life of the peoples who have inhabited the Amazon’s forests for thousands of years.

Faced with the increase in criminality, death threats, and intimidation against our Indigenous leaders during the last two weeks, we communicate to the different  branches of the Peruvian State, the human rights institutions of civil society, international development and environmental cooperation actors and the international community the following:

1. We reiterate our demand that the Peruvian State accelerates titling processes for our communal territories, including establishing and marking their physical boundaries. The lack of secure legal tenure over our territories cannot be put down to chance, inefficiency, or lack of resources; shadowy interests are impeding the titling of our communities.

2. We demand respect for the right to life of Indigenous Peoples, hence we demand the implementation of urgent protection measures for our principal leaders, communal authorities, and elders - our frontline defenders, many of whom have already been assassinated, whilst others face death threats. We are human rights defenders, and the State has the obligation to protect our lives.

3. Economic initiatives in the Peruvian Amazon should be framed by full respect for our communal territories, our culture, our customs, and our inter-generational commitment to living in peace in harmony with nature.

4. We call upon human rights bodies to take urgent actions and call upon the Peruvian State to protect the fundamental rights, life, and territory of the Shipibo, Ashaninka, Yine and Kakataibo peoples of the Ucayali region.

5. We express to the Peruvian State our grave concern for the increase in different forms of illegal economies in the Ucayali and Huanuco regions. Thus, Peruvian State actors should assume their responsibilities for control, oversight, and eradication, but also promote economic opportunities for the rural populations of this region, who have been abandoned for decades.

Pucallpa, 21 October 2020

Signing organisations and communities:

AIDESEP

ORAU

FECONAU

FENACOCA

ORDIM

FECONAPU

ACONADYSH

FECONACURPI

FECONASHI

FECONADIP

Saweto

Panaillo

Santa Clara de Uchunya