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Amazonian women demand to stop extractivism in the jungle of Ecuador
Posted On 14 Mar 2018
Ecuadornews:
The group of Women of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon (Confeniae) was posted in the Plaza de la Independencia, in front of the Government Palace, in the colonial quarter of Quito, to present its demand to the country’s president, Lenín Moreno .
The president, who is expected to arrive today from Chile, where he participated in the ceremony of transmission of command in that country, has not yet confirmed whether he will receive the group of Amazonian women in his office.
They announced that they will remain in the capital until they are received by Moreno, to whom they will hand over a “mandate” written by the group of women of Confeniae.
This document criticizes the announcement of a new oil tender process in the south-central area of the Ecuadorian Amazon, because they believe it would affect native populations settled there of the Shuar, Achuar, Sápara, Kichwa, Shiwiar, Waorani and Andoas nationalities.
They also oppose the concession of mining areas in the Nankints or Tundayme areas, in the south of the Amazon, where they have denounced evictions of inhabitants in order to give way to the exploitation of large-scale metals.
The leader Patricia Gualinga told Efe that the “mandate of the Amazonian women” refers to issues such as “extractivism, food sovereignty, bilingual education”, among others, which are important demands for the population of that region.
“The Amazon has to be conserved” and “that is the request that is made” to the Government through the mandate, added Gualinga, who highlighted the Executive’s attitude to maintain a space for dialogue with all sectors of society.
However, “women are concerned about the issue of oil extraction and mining,” which has been recently announced by the government, she added.
Gualinga reiterated that the group of Amazonian women will remain in Quito until President Moreno receives them. (I)
