Huaorani break agreements with Petrobras

El Comercio, 1 July 2005

The Governing Council of the Huaorani People of the Ecuadorian Amazon (ONHAE) will prevent the Brazilian company Petrobras from entering Yasuní National Park.

In this protected area, the start of oil activities in Block 31 is foreseen.

Ramón Huani, coordinator for ONHAE, said that this indigenous nation decided to break all ties of friendship with the company, as soon as it disavowed a contract signed between the previous director of the organization and Petrobras.

The agreement had provided for the financing of various projects for development and social assistance for the Huaorani in the amount of $200,000 a year.

Huani said that since two months ago, ONHAE and Petrobras had maintained ties, but that the firm was still not predisposed to help.

ONHAE’s decision responds, in addition, to the pressure of communities based in this nation, notably those of women.

Alicia Cahuiya, president of the Association of Huaorani Women, AMWAE (by its acronym in the Huao language), stated that her organization is opposed to oil activities in Yasuní National Park.

She declares that the Huaorani women want to preserve the territory for their children, but free of pollution.

They do not want their farms contaminated by oil because on them they plant yucca, plantains, and other crops that in the communities are the only familiar nourishment.

The director noted that after the stay of the oil companies in the Amazon, the water in the rivers that supply the poor was left contaminated.

Neither the state nor the companies are in the habit of helping with remediation, she insisted. “It is not just the Huaorani who should defend Yasuní, but all of Ecuador.”

She criticized the ex-Governing Council for signing a contract with Petrobras without first consulting the Huaorani communities. AMWAE also opposes the construction of a 35-km road that will be constructed in the Napo River watershed.

“This brings only deforestation, the disappearance of forest animals, and the introduction of bad Western habits like alcoholism and prostitution,” she added.

Meanwhile, the president of ONHAE, Juan Enomenga, announced that he will not step back from this decision. The director insisted on the complete revision of all contracts signed with the transnationals and agreed with Cahuiya that the road construction is not necessary.

Petrobras signed the contract with ONHAE during the administration of ex-president Armando Boya.

The contracted resources would have been invested in infrastructure projects in the communities, productive projects and support for the creation of a light airplane company called Aéreo Minta. The current directors denounce that nothing has been done.

Yesterday, at Petrobras they said that until midday they did not know of the decision of the indigenous people to break the agreements. However, the Huaorani leaders guaranteed that the decision had already been communicated.