Amazon Region Faces Loss of Indigenous Reserve as Peru Rejects Proposal
In a recent decision that has sparked controversy, the proposed Yavarí Mirim Indigenous Reserve in Peru's Amazon basin has been voted against by government agencies. This decision has been met with disapproval by the Indigenous groups living within the proposed reserve, who view it as a "historic setback for human rights and an attack on the Amazon and its Indigenous peoples."
The proposed reserve, if approved, would have encompassed an area larger than Connecticut, and would have been home to five Indigenous groups: Matsés, Matis, Korubo, Kulina-Pano, and Flecheiro (also known as Tavakina). These groups live with minimal interaction with the outside world, making them highly vulnerable to incursions by loggers, miners, or any activity that disturbs the ecosystem.
Experts believe scores of such groups live across the Amazon, with the densest collection straddling the borders of Peru, Brazil, and Bolivia. The area where the Yavarí Mirim Reserve is proposed also sits over an oil and gas basin that a state-owned company has advertised to potential investors as "under-explored." Oil and logging companies have sought to expand their operations into proposed or existing reserves, adding to the concerns of the Indigenous communities.
The Agriculture Ministry, one of eight members of the commission that voted against moving forward with the reserve, is accused of defending logging concessions within the proposed reserve. The regional government of Loreto, where the reserve is proposed, also voted against proceeding, along with three provincial municipalities in the area.
Carlos Amorim, a commission member who rejected the study for the definitive boundary delimitation proposal of the Yavarí Mirim Reserve, has been identified. The Peruvian Culture Ministry has provided a new comment regarding the issue, but details are yet to be disclosed.
The Indigenous groups living in the proposed Yavarí Mirim Indigenous Reserve have voiced their concerns about the government prioritizing economic and criminal interests over their rights. They fear that the decision to vote against the reserve will lead to increased exploitation of their lands and further threats to their way of life.
As the situation unfolds, the international community is closely watching Peru's handling of the Yavarí Mirim Indigenous Reserve issue. The fate of the Indigenous groups living in the area hangs in the balance, and their call for recognition and protection of their rights continues to resonate.
