International protests against Peruvian forest laws

Map of forests and protected areas of Peru.

Image by thejourney1972 (absent for some weeks) via Flickr

International solidarity protests against Peruvian forest laws

"Thousands of demonstrators on two continents have joined the struggle to defend the rights of indigenous peoples in Peru, who have been staging road and pipeline blockades for more than 50 days.

Advocates are fighting against a series of Forest Laws that facilitate the seizing of indigenous land by various corporations as part of a Free Trade Agreement with the United States, and that criminalize protest and provide immunity to military who kill demonstrators.

This year’s demonstrations follow actions staged last year when Peruvian indigenous leaders shut down parts of the country and lifted the strikes weeks later after being promised concessions. The concessions, according to spokespeople, did not materialize and the Inter-ethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Amazon or AIDESEP renewed the struggle in April with the help of 40,000 indigenous peoples. As the blockades and counter-measures unfolded, some allies have responded with protests of their own. One of the more highly visible actions took place in New York City May 23 in front of the Peruvian Mission to the United Nations."

Read the entire article in Indian Country Today:
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/home/content/47043272.html


Video: Peru's indigenous groups vow to fight for land - 12 Jun 09 Al Jazeera




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