UN expert warns Peruvian government over threats to Amazonian leaders in Peru

UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders warns about threats and smear campaign against leaders of the Shipibo-Konibo people due to territorial conflict caused by palm oil and requests information from the Peruvian State.

In a communication to the Peruvian State issued last week by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders, mandate-holder Mary Lawlor expressed her deep concern over alleged threats and acts of harassment against Indigenous rights defenders from Santa Clara de Uchunya in the Peruvian Amazon and requested detailed information from the Peruvian State regarding its handling of the case.

Dated 16 December 2022, the Rapporteur's letter reviews key background information to that community's case, recalling how land trafficking and the arrival of the palm oil company Plantaciones de Pucallpa SAC - whose plantation has been operated since 2016 by Ocho Sur P SAC - led not only to the massive deforestation of their territory, but also resulted in a wave of "threats and attacks repeatedly since at least 2014."

The communiqué then focuses on the threats that occurred against community defenders during November 2022, including community members Carlos Hoyos Soria and Efer Silvano Soria. It also recalls the smear campaign directed against them and the human rights lawyer, Linda Vigo, with the participation of regional media. It also highlights attempts to criminalize Vigo by the Peruvian National Police and the Ocho Sur group, a fact that was widely denounced by Indigenous and human rights organisations in November 2022.

It should be recalled that the former United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders, Michel Forst, in his End of Mission Statement to Peru in early 2020, expressed his concern for the Santa Clara de Uchunya community, considering it an emblematic case, which has had to resort to the defense of their rights through administrative and legal means to try to safeguard and obtain recognition of their ancestral territories. Subsequently, in 2021, this was followed by calls from the Regional Office for South America of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), asking the Peruvian State to protect the members of the community from intimidation, violence and harassment by land traffickers.

The communication closes with the following requests for information to the Peruvian State:

1. Please provide any additional information or comments in relation to the information described above.

2. Please provide information on any investigation carried out regarding the alleged threats against Mr. Hoyos Soria and Mr. Silvano Soria, as well as on the alleged attack against Mr. Hoyos Soria's family member.

3. What actions has the Ministry of the Interior taken to implement protection measures in favour of the aforementioned defenders? Has an internal protocol for the protection of defenders been developed?

4. What measures have been taken by the Ministry of Agriculture and local authorities to demarcate and title the traditional lands of the Native Community of Santa Clara de Uchunya? If there are any barriers to such demarcation and titling, we would appreciate receiving information in this regard.

The communication remained confidential for 60 days, during which time the Peruvian Government was expected to respond. However, the Government did not respond within this period.

Carlos Hoyos Soria said,

"We are very happy and satisfied because there really is someone who cares about the situation and the problem of the Indigenous community of Santa Clara de Uchunya. The Rapporteur has been able to make a favourable pronouncement for the community, knowing very well that it is an emblematic problem and that until now we are still struggling and suffering because of the tremendous threats they are making, by razing and grabbing territory by this palm oil company."

Regarding the current situation in the community's ancestral territory, Hoyos Soria explained, "Up to now, the threats are still latent, because settlers have invaded 500 more hectares within the community's territory - a territory that already has a property title registered in the public records since 2022. However, the invasion into the community's territory continues, and so far has not ceased. They try to intimidate and threaten those of us who are trying to confront this serious problem, because we are really facing an economic monster. But we trust in Peruvian laws and justice to do something for the community, because if we continue to let this company do its thing, unfortunately in three, four or five more years, our Amazon will no longer exist."

"We are very grateful for the hard work that the Rapporteur is doing, asking the Peruvian State to report, because unfortunately the State has never given an objective response in favour of the community", he added.

Referring to the intensity of the smear campaign that has been carried out in recent months, human rights lawyer Linda Vigo said,

"It is worth mentioning that Judge Liz Ivonne Torres Diaz was also vilely harassed and discredited not only by the press but also on social media. Even sit-ins were held against her, with paid people and they even pressured the President of the Board of Prosecutors of Ucayali and the Superior Court of Justice of Ucayali, since they publicly said that she had an agreement with the NGOs for having issued a precautionary measure in favour of Carlos Hoyos Soria, legitimate head of the native community of Santa Clara de Uchunya, a person who has been fighting for the respect of their ancestral territories, the conservation of their forests against Ocho Sur P SAC. This makes visible the enormous interest that this company has in discrediting not only human rights defenders but against anyone who is against their interests, including fair judges who act impartially."

More information

Link to pdf of the formal communication.

Summary of the press release on the Rapporteur's official website: 

Rapporteur’s tweet regarding the case.

Webpage where any response received from the Government of Peru will be made public through communications reports.