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IndigenousPerspectivesonOilExploration
ConcessionsinthePeruvianAmazon
Lauren Baker, PhD candidate
“First we want you to leave our home, then we will invite you to talk”
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Communal Reserve since you do not have the
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2009). This is one variation of a perspective held by
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and how oil exploration activities proceed in their
communities. In this article, I intend to illuminate
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Concerns about oil concessions in the
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and recent increase in oil exploration concessions.
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rapidly increased oil exploration concessions in the
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The promotion of oil has been linked to a
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SL]LS IHZLK \WVU [OL WYP]H[PaH[PVU HUK L_WVY[H[PVU
of natural resources. This vision was made clear, for
example, in the article “El Síndrome del Perro del
Hortelano” written by the Peruvian President, Alan
Lauren Baker is a 2nd year doctoral student at
F&ES focusing on indigenous rights and extractive
industries. Lauren, a southern California native, also
completed a Masters of Environmental Management
at F&ES (2005) and worked for three years at the Center
for International Environmental Law in Washington
D.C. on indigenous and human rights issues.
38 Volume 29, 2010
.HYJPH0U[OPZHY[PJSL7YLZPKLU[.HYJPHZ[H[LZ[OH[¸HU`
Peruvian can look around and see all the riches that
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is that we should put to use the resources that we are
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attitude that those that oppose concessions are also
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“Peruvian petroleum should remain beneath the earth
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+LZWP[L WYVTPZLZ VM WYVNYLZZ HUK ^LSS
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concessions have expressed concerns or opposition
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VM Z[HRLOVSKLYZ NP]LU [OLPY OPNO WYLZLUJL HUK [OLPY
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[OL 7LY\]PHU (THaVU HYL [OL THU` PUKPNLUV\Z
communities and federations. AIDESEP (Asociación
Interétnica de Desarrollo de la Selva Peruana), the
WYPTHY` PUKPNLUV\Z MLKLYH[PVU MVY [OL 7LY\]PHU
(THaVUOHZYLWLH[LKS`KLUV\UJLK[OLZ\WLYWVZP[PVU
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especially in territorial reserves for the protection of
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ARPI (Asociación Regional de Pueblos Indígenas
de la Selva Central KLJYPLK [OL Z[H[L»Z ¸HNNYLZZP]L
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consultation and consent of the ancestral owners
of natural resources and territories” and declared
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AIDESEP to not permit the entrance of petroleum
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Morona (AIM) have similarly warned that “we will not
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;OPZPZUV[TLHU[[VPTWS`[OH[HSSJVTT\UP[PLZ
or federations have opposed the concessions. Indeed,
Indigenous Perspectives on oil exploration concessions in the Peruvian Amazon
Figure 1. A map of oil
concessions in Peru.
[Source: PerúPetro]
some communities have been allured by the ample
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VMILULÄ[ZMVYSVJHSJVTT\UP[PLZ^OPJONLULYHSS`
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companies in an ad hoc fashion, with the possibility
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denouncements are meant to illustrate that many
communities and federations have raised concerns
or opposed oil concessions in their communities.
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(THaVU HUK H SH^`LY PU [OL 7LY\]PHU 6TI\KZTHU»Z
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PUKPNLUV\Z WLVWSLZ HUK VPS L_WSVYH[PVU JVUJLZZPVUZ 0
also conducted supplemental or shorter interviews with
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communities that had been affected by oil exploitation.
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HIV\[ PUKPNLUV\Z WLYZWLJ[P]LZ VU VPS L_WSVYH[PVU
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+*+\YPUN[OL[^VTVU[OZVMWYLSPTPUHY`YLZLHYJO
in 2009, I conducted extended semi-structured
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^VYRLK L_[LUZP]LS` ^P[O PUKPNLUV\Z WLVWSLZ PU
Ä]LUVUNV]LYUTLU[HSVYNHUPaH[PVUZHSSVM^OVT
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^VYRPUNVUPUKPNLUV\ZHUKLU]PYVUTLU[HSPZZ\LZ
Based upon this preliminary research, as well
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[OLTLZ UHTLS` PUKPNLUV\Z JVUJLYUZ YLNHYKPUN! [OL JVUJLZZPVUPUN WYVJLZZ" WVZZPISL PTWHJ[Z MYVT
oil exploration and extraction (and failure to account
MVY [OL YHUNL VM PUKPNLUV\Z ]HS\LZ [V^HYK [OL SHUK"
[OL SLNP[PTHJ` VM [OL JVUJLZZPVUZ TVYL NLULYHSS`
NP]LU PUKPNLUV\Z WYPVY JSHPTZ [V [LYYP[VYPLZ" HUK possible violence or repression. In the sections that
follow, I will touch upon each of these themes in turn,
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( ÄYZ[ THQVY KYP]LY VM PUKPNLUV\Z JVUJLYUZ
^HZ YLSH[LK [V [OL JVUJLZZPVUPUN WYVJLZZ 0U HSS VM T`
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process – both the lack of consultation when the
concessions were made to oil companies and what
Tropical Resources Bulletin 39
Lauren Baker
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consultation at later points in the process, such as
K\YPUN LU]PYVUTLU[HS PTWHJ[ HZZLZZTLU[Z ,0(Z
`V\0^PSS[LSS`V\[OH[0HTNVPUN[VI\PSK
a road, take the petroleum, [etc.] – there,
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SLNPZSH[PVU MVY [OL SH^ VU JVUZ\S[H[PVU
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explain the project, and receive their
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is how the state understands consultation. In
JVU[YHZ[^OH[KV[OLJVTT\UP[PLZZH`&;OL`
say that for them, consultation is when you
ask us what we think and we try to reach
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^OPJO OHZ [OL ¸VIQLJ[P]L VM HJOPL]PUN HNYLLTLU[
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to prior informed consent, as has been endorsed,
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discontent about consultation processes was related consultation included instances when companies either
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0U HKKP[PVU [OL JVUJLZZPVUPUN WYVJLZZ HSZV community. This type of situation was described
seemed to violate expectations about respect and I` PUMVYTHU[Z PU ZL]LYHS PU[LY]PL^Z -VY L_HTWSL
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differently held expectations and interpretations *VTT\UP[PLZ VM [OL *VYYPLU[LZ 9P]LY -,*65(*6
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“There needs to be prior consultation before
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“Here in Peru, consultation has two
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interpretations – the interpretation of the
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those that are easiest or closest, but the
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JVUZ\S[H[PVU VJJ\YZ ^OLU! ¸0»]L KLJPKLK
V\Y YPNO[Z HYL JVSSLJ[P]L" HSS VM \Z ULLK [V
[V KV ZVTL[OPUN ZV 0 ^PSS NV HUK PUMVYT
Table 1. Institutional Contacts for Interviews
0UKPNLUV\Z-LKLYH[PVUZ
Institutional Contacts for Extend- Institutional Contacts for Suppleed Semi-Structured Interviews
mental or Shorter Interviews
- Asociación Cocama de
Desarrollo y Conservación
San Pablo de Tipishca
(*6+,*6:7(;
-LKLYHJP}UKL*VT\UPKHKLZ
5H[P]HZKLS9xV*VYYPLU[LZ
-,*65(*6
*LU[YV(THa}UPJVKL
(U[YVWVSVNxH`(WSPJHJP}U
7YmJ[PJH*(((7
- Centro para el Desarrollo del
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- Derechos Ambiente y Recursos
5H[\YHSLZ+(9
0X\P[VZYLNPVUHSVMÄJLVM
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- Red Ambiental Loretana
- Shinai
(U[OYVWVSVNPZ[(SILY[V*OPYPM
40 Volume 29, 2010
- Instituto del Bien Común
9HJPTVZKL<UN\YHO\P
0UZ[P[\[VKL0U]LZ[PNHJPVULZKL
SH(THaVUxH7LY\HUH00(7
- Sociedad Peruana de Derecho
Ambiental (SPDA)
Indigenous perspectives on oil exploration concessions in the Peruvian Amazon
participate. In the Corrientes river there
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In another example, an informant described
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-,*65(905VUJL[OLVPSJVTWHU`/VJVSZOV^LK
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ML^PUKPNLUV\ZSLHKLYZV]LYH`LHYLHYSPLY>OLU[OL
rest of the federation and the communities “found
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HNYLLTLU[D¯HUK ÄUHSS` [OL` [OYL^ [OLT HSS V\[¹
A second major theme raised in many of my
interviews was related to concerns about impacts
from oil exploration and extraction. By way of
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LMMVY[I`[OL7LY\]PHUNV]LYUTLU[HUK[OLJVTWHUPLZ
themselves to create a “conceptual break” between
new and old oil exploration and extraction, by
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environment, which is a theme from the last century¯
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those used in the past in Peru, such as reinjection of
formation waters and the use of a new type of seismic
[LZ[PUN[OH[OHZZTHSSLYL_WSVZPVUZHZH^H`[VZPNUHS
that current operations will have minimal impacts.
Despite assurances of minimal impacts from
“new” oil exploration and extraction, informants in
T` PU[LY]PL^Z JVUZPZ[LU[S` JP[LK [OH[ PUKPNLUV\Z
WLVWSLZ ^LYL IV[O RUV^SLKNLHISL HIV\[ [OL
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and were concerned that they would similarly be
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visit to this area I heard many accounts of past and
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Concerns about impacts were not only
limited to direct impacts from contamination or lack
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is also there, and the spirits are there in
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Figure 2. Oil tanker
outside of San José
de Saramuro, Marañon River, Peruvian
Amazon. [Photograph by Lauren
Baker.]
Tropical Resources Bulletin 41
Lauren Baker
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WSHJL MVY M\[\YL NLULYH[PVUZ ;OPZ ZWPYP[\HS
relationship that unites us with our territory,
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by the state and companies and are concerned
about the myriad possible environmental and social
impacts, and at least some are skeptical that the state
VY JVTWHUPLZ \UKLYZ[HUK HUK YLZWLJ[ PUKPNLUV\Z
values toward and connection to their lands and
territories (values that are not captured in EIAs).
A third, notable trend was that for many
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of my interviews with a well-respected Peruvian
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area (“por el hecho de ser originarios”). The same
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we have lived here much before the state was created,”
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in 2000 that they would close their territory to any
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exploration. My informant also noted that while
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Matsés tienen bien grabado en sus cabezas que todo
Figure 3. Post-Bagua conflict banner, indicating solidarity with national indigenous federation,
AIDESEP, and former president of that federation Alberto Pizango, who fled the country and was
granted political asylum in Nicaragua after being targeted for arrest under charges that included
sedition and inciting rebellion. Banner text (excerpt): “Alberto Pizango: The people are with you.
Long live peaceful struggles! For the defense of the rights of indigenous peoples and their territories.”
[Photograph by Lauren Baker.]
42 Volume 29, 2010
Indigenous perspectives on oil exploration concessions in the Peruvian Amazon
esto es territorio Matsés”) that they continue to defend
[OYV\NOTVUP[VYPUNJYL^Z¸rondas de vigilancia”) and
proclamations to close their territories to extraction.
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interviews related to concerns about violence and
repression. This was particularly evident with the
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my arrival in Peru there was a major confrontation
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by a rapid crackdown on leaders in the national
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I was told about in interviews, such as an incident in
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Soria, Percy Summers, Hernan Coronado, Alberto Chirif
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the academic support of my co-advisors, Michael Dove
and Robert Bailis, as well as additional faculty support
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additional thanks for comments on previous versions of this
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about the recent oil exploration concessions in their
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impacts, the possibility of violence and repression,
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have both revealed and provoked tensions between
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There are also early indications that oil exploration
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“double-movement,” in which concessions for natural
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the state more visible” but simultaneously “discredit
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fundamental level, indicate that this is not a situation
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claims to resources in the same territories can or will
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Acknowledgements
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AIDESEP (Inter-Ethnic Association for the Development of
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Talisman oil company does not abandon Block
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]PL^FUL^ZWOW&PK$PU,UNSPZO"O[[W!^^^
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ish).
AIDESEP (Inter-Ethnic Association for the Development
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:LS]H*LU[YHS1\UL¸9H[PÄJHJP}UKL
posición frente a las concesiones y actividades de
Empresas Multinacionales en territorio de pueblos
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del Hortelano.” El Comercio, Perú.
Tropical Resources Bulletin 43
Lauren Baker
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Development, Social Movements, edited by R. Peet
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44 Volume 29, 2010