Sarayaku, Pastaza, Ecuador | April 2015

<<In 1996, the Ecuadorian government gave most of the territory of Sarayaku in concession to CGC, an Argentinean oil company. However, it did not inform and obtain any permission from the people of Sarayaku. They opposed this as they were aware of the devastating consequences that this could have had. At the turn of 2002 and 2003, CGC penetrated in the area, with the support of the Ecuatorean army. CGC started ground drilling operations in this part of the Amazon forest. To do so, it used powerfull explosives for a seismic analysis. Men, women and children started to defend their territory and the Pachamama. Four young people were illegally detained and tortured. Several leaders were assaulted and threatened. The Rio Bobonaza, the main acces to the community, was closed. People did so to defend their right to live in freedom and peace.
In 2003, the community of Sarayaku asks to the Inter-American System of Human Rights for justice. In the same year, the Inter-American Commission began working on this case. In 2004 and 2005, the Court ordered precautionary measures in favour of the Sarayaku people. In early 2010 a judgment was issued.
Thanks to their fight and their allies, CGC have to leave from the Sarayaku territory. The Ecuadorian government is supposed to clear the land from the explosives that are still partly buried. However, this struggle will continue until the threat of oil drilling will not stop>> (A poster in Sarayaku).

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