In the wake of the Waorani people’s recent historic victory, which protects half a million acres of their rainforest territory in Ecuador’s Amazon from oil drilling and sets a key legal precedent for indigenous rights, the government declared that it would appeal the court’s decision. This move poses an imminent threat to indigenous autonomy and the conservation of the Amazon rainforest, the lungs of our planet.
Last week, in Ecuador’s capital city of Quito, the Waorani people spearheaded a mass mobilization, during which hundreds of indigenous peoples from nations including the Kichwa, Sapara, Andoa, Shiwiar, Achuar and Shuar, came together to protect the Waorani victory and to send a clear message to the government: respect indigenous rights.
Recent statements from the Ministry of Energy and Non-Renewable Resources aimed at pressuring the judiciary to overturn the ruling. “The Ecuadorian government has no right to decide over what happens in our territory. We are the ones who make the decisions over lands and lives. The government has every right to appeal and we are not afraid – whether we win or lose this legal case, we will continue to fight because our forest is our life”, affirmed Oswando Nenquimo, a young Waorani spokesperson and plaintiff for the case.
“We have defended our forest for thousands of years, and today we continue to fight”, declared Nemonte Nenquimo, Waorani leader and lead plaintiff outside the head offices of the Ministry of Energy and Non-Renewable Resources in Quito. “The government must listen to our voices and must respect our rights. Our territory is not for sale: this is our decision. How can the government put our lives at risk all in the name of the last drops of crude oil? I’m calling on everyone to stand with us and to unite with our movement: this struggle isn’t just of the Waorani people – it’s for everyone, it’s for our planet.”
Now is a critical time to ramp up support for the Waorani’s urgent struggle to protect the Amazon, and your voice counts. Share your favorite photograph and send a message to the the Ecuadorian government demanding respect for the court’s decision, and to show the judicial system that the world is watching. Together, we can defend indigenous rights in the Amazon!