“The presence of GeoPark impacted people’s emotions and our peaceful existence”: oil company withdraws from Wampis and Achuar territories, but vigilance continues

The Autonomous Territorial Government of the Wampis Nation (GTANW) representing 85 communities along the Kanus (Santiago) and Kankaim (Morona) Rivers in the departments of Amazonas and Loreto, and the Peruvian Federation of Achuar Nationalities (FENAP), representing 45 communities from the northern part of the Pastaza River and its Huasaga, Manchari and Huitoyacu tributaries, has been embroiled in a conflict with the Chilean company GeoPark since 2016. The company was assigned the “Northwest Area Development Project (Situche Central) of Lot 64” with an area of 761,501 hectares.

Peru’s Environmental Licensing Agency (SENACE) had already audited and observed GeoPark’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in February 2019 due to its failure to specify the existence of environmental liabilities in the project’s areas of impact; and a lack of clarity over the effect on economic activities of native communities categorised by type of natural resource, among other observations. GeoPark had withdrawn its EIA from the Environmental Certification process in June 2019 because it could not remedy these observations. This is when the project led by GeoPark began to stall, which led to a force majeure situation for Lot 64.

During the National State of Emergency declared due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Peru, GeoPark continued to operate irresponsibly and move its personnel throughout the Kankaim River basin, despite the measures taken by the Wampis Nation to close its borders. After public statements by GTANW on 30 April and 12 May, demanding that GeoPark halt its operations, GTANW and EarthRights International filed a criminal lawsuit against the oil company on 26 May, for increasing the risk of transmitting COVID-19 to the Wampis people.

The Wampis and Achuar had recently launched a global advocacy campaign called Atsá Geoparkka (‘no to GeoPark’ in the Wampis language) demanding the withdrawal of the company from their ancestral territories. This campaign, led entirely by indigenous organisations, was backed by Chilean artists and activists. They spread the message in their home country, where GeoPark is headquartered.

A sense of calm returns to the indigenous territories, but the vigilance remains

 

“Regardless of the reason why the company is leaving, it is a relief for the Wampis and Achuar peoples. It is one less burden and brings with it mental and spiritual peace. The presence of GeoPark had an impact on people’s emotions and our peaceful lives. These companies never anticipate their impacts on community life. Families, women, everyone has suffered a great deal and now [GeoPark’s exit] is important – at least temporarily – because it brings with it a certain tranquillity. Nonetheless, we will stay alert to any kind of ploys.” – Shapiom Noningo, Technical Secretary of GTANW

 

For many years, the Wampis Nation and Achuar people have battled against GeoPark’s divisive actions which have created intra- and intercommunity tensions for these indigenous peoples. Wampis community members were instructed to report to the Sargento Puño Base Camp (a Peruvian army base used as GeoPark’s operations centre), even though they had been travelling on their own river; there has been constant anguish over what are euphemistically dubbed “environmental liabilities”:  the environmental disasters that damage forests, farms, fallows, rivers and oxbow lakes; months have been spent planning advocacy efforts and defence strategies; and  international trips were organised to raise awareness amongst investors and other stakeholders.

Given all this, the Wampis Nation cautiously views GeoPark’s withdrawal as a temporary win. It is quietly following developments in the energy sector, and demands that the Peruvian government no longer persist with Lot 64 or other lots in the Amazon. Particularly when these fossil fuel extraction projects, such as the one proposed by GeoPark, do not have the free, prior and informed consent of the Indigenous Peoples that they impact.

COVID-19 continues its attack on indigenous territories, memories and lives. With the State now relaxing its lockdown measures based on infection rates in the cities, and without considering the lack of data regarding cases in the indigenous population, it has not yet been possible to carry out a comprehensive, collective, negotiated and meaningful assessment of the success against GeoPark. However, the news is gradually spreading through Wampis territory and communities. Whilst they are striving to remain isolated given the risks of COVID-19, this success is serving to boost spirits and urge them to fight on in defence of their territories, weaving together cries of hope and rebellion as they seek to protect their lives.

 

“We have always sought a way forward as Wampis and to achieve what we have dreamed of: to be free and to govern our own territory. We are happy that we have saved our ancestral territory after so many letters and documents, and for that we congratulate all members of the Wampis Nation. We youths are also part of this struggle and we will continue it against other companies that seek to govern our territory. We know our rights and I feel Wampis pride: of my roots, my land, my territory and our conquest.” – Isaías Mashingashi, young Wampis teacher in the native community of Shinguito, Kankaim River

 

However, the lesson learned is to keep a low profile: to remain alert to the State’s actions and companies that exploit fossil fuels, and the ploys of the Peruvian Hydrocarbons Society still to come. This is all the more important during the current economic recovery, given that oil extraction never stopped during the National State of Emergency. Extractivism is coming back in the most brutal and violent way possible in other Amazonian areas with the seizing and dispossession of indigenous territories. In addition, Petroperu – with a 25% stake in Lot 64 – now has just 30 days to announce whether it will take on the Situche Central Project alone, or look for another partner.

The achievement of the Wampis and Achuar encourages reflection, given the number of oil companies that have passed through Lot 64, which overlaps their ancestral territories. GeoPark’s exit is just one more opportunity, both internally and externally, to feel and reflect upon models for self-development using resources from the forest, rivers and lakes while fully exercising the right to autonomy and self-determination, duly protected by national and international legislation. This stands in contrast to the insistent modern, racist and colonial drumbeats of traditional development, which are reinvented time and again at various state levels, in collusion with large transnational corporations. Shapiom Noningo, Technical Secretary of GTANW, is very clear:

 

“This famous, so-called ‘national development’ is unwelcome and we now see the full dimension of its fallacy. What is the legacy of oil exploitation in the region? We don’t even have decent hospitals during a pandemic. So we cannot allow activities that will leave people more impoverished in terms of food and without any material or spiritual benefit. For this reason, companies and the State must set aside this destruction of biodiversity where money and royalties only end up feeding corruption. Why must we carry on with these State business ventures and proposals if we can ask for something different? We are demanding the cancellation of all hydrocarbon lots so that we can focus on other more user-friendly alternatives.”

 

Lot 64 was created in 1995 for oil extraction and transport and has passed through the hands of oil companies such as ARCO, REPSOL, BURLINGTON RESOURCES Inc, OXI, TALISMAN ENERGY and GeoPark. It can no longer be a space for the stubbornness and impunity that value regional economic royalties, while ignoring local social tensions and the increased risk of environmental disasters. Moreover, it turns a blind eye to tried and tested paths of self-government and collective creation of life, as advocated by Tarimat pujut (‘Good living’ in Wampis). The government’s annulment of the lot is now pending. The Wampis Nation and Achuar people will continue these struggles in the midst of the temporary calm instilled by GeoPark’s withdrawal.

 

“We have said that this kind of extraction of raw material [hydrocarbons] is not in our interests because it has a direct impact on nature, on human dignity and on morale. When the operating company departs, it leaves destruction in its wake, and the State does not accept responsibility for this destruction and neither does the company. The company is used to things being easy. Giving away some breadcrumbs, a few kilos of food or a little fuel here and there. Is that really development? We are recovering and rebuilding our economy. We cannot deny that it is difficult to break out of this cycle of economic dependency on companies such as GeoPark that disturbs our community life. GTANW is in the process of recovering its ability to be conscious of and to reflect upon our own destiny. The corporation takes away your forests and your rivers and leaves you mere scraps in return. We are gradually implementing fishery committees such as Tirakam Association [1] in order to be able to make the most of our own resources, and we have plans to grow cacao and bananas. We wish to demonstrate that we can boost family economies with our own economic activity so that families can generate income through work and not just hoping and waiting. That is the difference.” – Shapiom Noningo, Technical Secretary of GTANW

 

[1] Tirakam, a Wampis fishing association, benefits from the support of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation

All photos: Jacob Balzani