QUITO - Kayaking down the Napo River in Ecuador's Amazon rainforest, environmentalist Matthew Terry bemoaned how the once-lush riverbanks are now barren and full of dredges, excavating machines and bulldozers as illegal gold mining spreads across the region. In certain areas, miners have completely rerouted the river channel, while some smaller tributaries of the Napo …
Indigenous Ecuadorans fight back as metal mining eats into Amazon (Reuters)
MAIKIUANTS, ECUADOR - The brightly colored chiva bus rocked back and forth, branches scraping across its sides, as it traveled down the narrow dirt road traversing mountain ranges of the Cordillera del Condor, in Ecuador's southern Amazon. The region, which stretches about 150 km (93 miles) along the border with Peru, is famous for its …
Continue reading "Indigenous Ecuadorans fight back as metal mining eats into Amazon (Reuters)"
Court convenes historic hearing in Indigenous territory on land consent issue (Mongabay)
SINANGOE, ECUADOR - Early on the morning of Nov. 15, five Constitutional Court judges arrived by canoe to the Indigenous Cofan community of Sinangoe in Ecuador’s northern Amazon rainforest, wearing rubber boots and loose clothing to weather the intense jungle heat. This visit marked the first time in the country’s history that judges from the …
Ecuador’s vanishing jaguars: the big cat vital to rainforest survival (The Guardian)
QUITO, ECUADOR -Â Across the American continent, from the north of Mexico to Argentina, the jaguar has long been revered for its strength and power. But in some parts of Ecuador, the largest cat in South America is increasingly at risk as roads, mining and agriculture take over the rainforests. The loss of habitat is …
How Drones and GPS Are Helping Indigenous People in Ecuador Save the Amazon (The Pacific Standard)
SINANGOE, ECUADOR — The day begins with everyone drinking a big cup of Yoko. A man called Viejo ("old man," in Spanish) carves the bark off a special vine found only in the Amazon highlands and mixes it with water. The resulting brew has a gritty texture and a bitter, earthy taste and gives the …
Indigenous Amazonian women demand end to extraction (Mongabay)
QUITO, ECUADOR - Nearly 100 indigenous women of the Ecuadorian Amazon spent five days protesting outside the country’s Presidential Palace last week. They were demanding a meeting with President Lenin Moreno and to personally deliver their political mandate. Authorities eventually agreed to a meeting between the protesters and the president, currently set for March 22. …
Continue reading "Indigenous Amazonian women demand end to extraction (Mongabay)"
Mujeres indÃgenas llevan cuatro dÃas esperando por una reunión con el presidente de Ecuador (Mongabay LatAm)
QUITO, ECUADOR - Es el cuarto dÃa que cerca de 100 mujeres indÃgenas de la AmazonÃa ecuatoriana protestan en las afueras del Palacio de Carondelet, residencia oficial del presidente del Ecuador. Llegaron el lunes a la ciudad de Quito para exigir una reunión con el mandatario Lenin Moreno y entregarle personalmente un documento que recoge todas …
Indigenous women march in Ecuador, vow to ‘defend our territory’ (Mongabay)
PUYO, ECUADOR – About 350 Indigenous women from across the Ecuadorian Amazon gathered here yesterday to celebrate International Women’s Day, and, they say, to fight back against a system that violates their rights. Many women spoke out specifically against the extractive industries operating in their territories. They say these industries have caused forced displacements and …
Continue reading "Indigenous women march in Ecuador, vow to ‘defend our territory’ (Mongabay)"
Ecuador: mujeres indÃgenas marcharon para exigir el respeto de sus derechos (Mongabay)
PUYO, ECUADOR - Alrededor de 350 mujeres indÃgenas de toda la AmazonÃa ecuatoriana marcharon ayer en la localidad de Puyo, provincia de Pastaza, para protestar contra un sistema que aseguran está violando sus derechos. Muchas de ellas se manifestaron en contra de las operaciones de las industrias extractivas que operan en sus territorios y que, …
Mining concessions in Ecuador stalled over compliance with indigenous rights (MongaBay)
QUITO, ECUADOR - Indigenous communities in Ecuador celebrated this week after President Lenin Moreno announced Monday that the government would come down harder on oil and mining companies that don’t comply with the country’s social and environmental laws. New mining concessions are now stalled until the companies can prove they’ve complied with all regulations under …