The Urarina people are threatened by extinction. Incursions of foreigners
(non-Urarinas) into Urarina traditional lands, like river traders, loggers,
colonists, oil exploration teams and recently tourists have brought
significant disease pressure (measles, cholera etc.) on the Urarina,
threatening their way of life and survival.
The Urarina have lived in the Chambira and Urituyacu river basins for at
least half a millennium. The word Urarina is thought to be derived from
the Quechua root words of people and below- meaning the people from
below. They call themselves Kach, meaning the people.
Part of an oil pipeline crosses Urarina land just north of the Aguajal out
of which drains the water for their rivers. The cultural, biological, and
ecological effects on the Urarina will likely be devastating.
What is to become of the Urarina? If the past is any measure regarding
Indigenous peoples in Peru, the government will attempt to assimilate them
into Peruvian society.
With the odds stacked against them, the Urarina will likely need political
support from outside Peru or they will join the long line of extinct
cultures and peoples left behind by the ongoing colonization of this
continent.
We urge you to please write the President of Peru, Alberto Fujimori, urging
him to secure the Urarina and other Indigenous peoples territorial rights
and to stop destructive, invasive tourism into Indigenous peoples
communities. Send your letters to:
Ministerio de la Presidencia
4297 Paseo de la Repblica
Lima 1
Peru.
__________________________________
A sample letter follows:
President of Peru, Alberto Fujimori
Ministerio de la Presidencia
4297 Paseo de la Repblica
Lima 1
Peru
Dear Mr. President,
The situation of the Urarina people is deteriorating. The Urarina people
are threatened by extinction. Incursions of foreigners (non-Urarinas)
into Urarina traditional lands, like river traders, loggers, colonists, oil
exploration teams and recently tourists have brought significant disease
pressure (measles, cholera etc.) on the Urarina, threatening their way of
life and survival.
We ask you to put an end to the intrusions by outsiders into Urarina
territory which is threatening their very existence with disease and poorly
planned development projects.
Also please respect and secure the Urarina territorial rights and stop the
desctructive, invasive "ecotourism" that is destroying these indigenous
communities.
Yours respectfully,
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South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC)
P.O. Box 28703
Oakland CA, 94604
Phone: (510)834-4263 Fax: (510)834-4264
Email: saiic@igc.apc.org
Office: 1714 Franklin Street, 3rd Floor, Oakland
Home Page: http://www.igc.apc.org/saiic/saiic.html
For more information about SAIIC, send an empty email message to:
saiic-info@igc.apc.org