As reported in the Guardian by Gabriela Mendoza Mendizábal” indigenous groups in Peru are mounting protests against President Alan Garcia’s attempt to grant corporate access to Amazonian lands.  Two new legal decrees would allow oil” logging and mining companies to buy large parcels of aboriginal lands without the consent of local inhabitants.  In an interview with Amazonian leader Saul Puerta Peña of the Peruvian indigenous association AIDESEP” the unrest felt amongst Peruvian Amazonians during a 14-day protest is highglighted.   As an Amazonian native” Peña is “…leading the fight against the Peruvian government after it tried to sell our land to foreign investors. I don’t really speak Spanish. I'm Awajun and my native language is Awajun. I come from San Ignacio” a village in northern Peru” right in the middle of the Amazon jungle.”
 
Following are a few excerpts from Peña’s interview:

“…These native lands are the entitled properties of the Amazon people” and to sell them off without even consulting us is a violation of our ancestral rights. This is why we rioted on August 9. Well” how would you feel if all of a sudden some authority came to tell you that you had to get out of your house because a rich company wanted to settle there” and you had to find yourself another place to live?…”

“…Amazon Indians think that” yes” we can handle things. We can handle the fact that food prices are rising – we can handle almost everything. But now they want to sell off our territories” and that's way too much. We will never allow that. We live there. Our lands are ancient and we will give our lives for them. We will not accept eviction” even if they send soldiers and policemen…”

“…The Awajun” my people” are very strong. My village is known for being rebellious. We have resisted invaders of all kinds – the Incas” the Spanish” colonists and loggers. That’s one reason why we are not worried…”

“…Two very positive things came out of our protest. The first is that within 12 days of the riots the two land decrees” so damaging to our lands and rights” were repealed in congress. The second is that the riots have strengthened the Amazon population. The people are grateful because now the government understands our needs better…”

“…But what is not positive is that the government now sees us as an obstacle. They say it explicitly. We are an obstacle to investment…”

For the full text of Mendizábal’s Guardian article click here.