ECOLOGICAL ALERT FROM THE HIGH AMAZON:
WHAT CAN WE DO?
Almost 50 percent of the oil money taken in by the Ecuadorian
government is used to pay its external debt. This means the
rainforest is being destroyed, in part, to pay an unpayable and
unjust debt. Ecological equilibrium, which is a common right of
humanity, is being sacrificed in the EAR to satisfy the private
interests of the World Bank and other development agencies, which
demand that the Ecuadorian government pay high interest on the
debt. If this situation isn't altered, damage of the EAR and other
rainforests will continue.
Sixto Duran Ballen, the new Ecuadorian President, who assumed
power on August 10, says he will increase oil extraction in the
EAR. This mean new oil spills will also increase.
CORDAVI calls to the international environmental community and
citizens throughout the world to support an Amazon salvation
agenda, through the following actions:
1.- Send a letter to the Ecuadorian President, Sixto Duran Ballen
with a copy to Ecuadorian Embassy, asking for a halt to oil
plans in the Huaorani, Siona-Secoya, and Cofan Native
Territories; and Yasuni National Park and Lagarto-Cocha
Reserve, located in the Napo Rio Basin (part of the Amazon
Basin). All are virgin rainforests and MAXUS and Petroecuador
currently have plans to extract oil from them.
Write to: Presidencia de la Republica: Calle Garcia
Moreno y Espejo, Quito-ECUADOR.
2.- Write to the World Bank, demanding the following:
a.- Declare the Ecuadorian Amazon Region on ecological
emergency;
b.- Reduce the Ecuadorian external debt by the amounts that
the government expects to obtain from oil explotation in
these areas.
c.- During negotiations regarding debt reduction, suspend
payment of debt interest and suspend support to oil
activities.
3.- Write to:
a.- TEXACO, demanding payments of compensation for its 20
years of ecological damages in the EAR which are worse
than damages caused by the EXXON Valdez disaster
b.- MAXUS Corporation, demanding that they leave the Huaorani
Native Territory and Yasuni National Park; and stop
constructing oil roads in this area.
Write to: Charles Blackburn, President of Maxus
Corporation. 717 Harwood, Dallas, TX 75201. USA
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C O R D A V I
P.O.Box 17-12-309 * Quito-ECUADOR
e-mail: root@codavi.ec