Conaie and Pachakutik Sue President Correa

Today Pachakutik Party and the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) filed a lawsuit against the Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, for allegedly operating permit for oil exploration in “ancestral” territories of isolated villages in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Indigenous leaders personally presented their sue to the General Attorney. The sue address not only to Correa, but nearly 30 current and former officials of his government.

Through a press conference, representatives of CONAIE and Pachakutik explained that what they seek is to prevent the genocide of the tribes and Taromenane Tagaeri, which live in a vast Amazon area neighboring Peru. These are one of the fewest human groups who still exist on the planet and who refuse to have any contact with the world. The study offers as evidence several contacts with settlers, violent deaths and physical signs, according to the plaintiffs.

Pachakutik and Conaie argue that in addition to violating these territories, the Government has set an environmental management plan for the exploitation of Yasuni ITT, also within the park.

The Executive asked the International Community for financial compensation to avoid extracting oil from the ITT area, but they also indicated that if their request is not heard they will proceed to pump oil from the zone.

“We talked about clans of nearly 200 people,” said Assemblyman Cléver Jimenez while President Marlon Santi from Conaie denounced that “illegal processes are being implemented in the exploration and exploitation of indigenous people’s territories.”

Jimenez said that if no local action is successful; they will submit the application to the International Criminal Court.

Source: Eluniversal.com