Latest news with #Tagaeri
Mint
5 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Indigenous Ecuadorians say axing ministries hurts Amazon forest
Ecuador puts Environment Ministry under Energy and Mines Ecuador ramps up oil drilling and mining in Amazon Indigenous groups say moves hurt them and the rainforest LIMA, Aug 8 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa's decision to axe the Environment Ministry and bring it under the Energy and Mines Ministry could prove disastrous for biodiversity, Amazon forest protection and Indigenous rights, activists warned. Noboa announced in July that more than a dozen ministries would be merged, cutting the number from 20 to 14, in an attempt to rein in public spending. The Ministry for Women and Human Rights was also folded into the Ministry Of Government. Around 5,000 workers were laid off. The objective was efficiency, said government spokesperson Carolina Jaramillo. "The national government has set itself the goal of having an efficient state that truly provides quality public services to citizens," she said. But environmentalists and Indigenous people say Ecuador needs independent ministries to defend human rights and to protect fragile Amazon and Andean ecosystems from both formal and illegal mining, oil drilling and other forms of damaging development that drive deforestation. Nemonte Nenquimo, an activist and leader of the indigenous Waorani people, expressed her alarm. "How is it possible that, overnight, the Ministry of Environment disappears and suddenly, oil and mining interests are in charge?" she asked. The Waorani people have previously won important court victories to protect their ancestral land from oil companies in parts of the Amazon rainforest. "That is extremely dangerous. It strips away the rights of Indigenous peoples and the rights of nature," Nenquimo told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "It's a strategic move to enable future exploitation in the name of national development or for global markets. They speak of protecting the rainforest, but in practice, they authorise oil drilling and mining," she said. The government did not respond to requests for comment. The ministerial changes come as Ecuador aims to ramp up oil drilling in the Amazon despite court rulings and an August 2023 referendum limiting drilling in the megabiodiverse Yasuni National Park. The nature reserve is home to the Waorani and the Tagaeri and Taromenane people, two of the world's last "uncontacted" Indigenous communities living in voluntary isolation. In the 2023 vote, more than 10 million people - almost 60% - voted to keep crude in the ground in the Yasuni '43-ITT' oil block. Business heir Noboa, then a presidential candidate, supported the proposal not to drill in the area. However, now president after winning a full term in May, Noboa appears to have made a U-turn, insisting Ecuador cannot afford not to exploit its natural resources. The country relies heavily on oil exports to underpin its economy. Noboa aims to boost oil production and Ecuador expects foreign oil companies to invest around $42 billion in the sector over the next five years. "How can the body responsible for curbing extractivism be subordinate to those who promote it? Who will safeguard the rights of nature when they get in the way of mining or oil interests?" asked YASunidos, a local civil society group that promoted the Yasuni vote, in a statement. Ecuador is also pushing to increase mining due to rising mineral prices, particularly for gold, which has hit record highs. Analysts predict mining in Ecuador could be worth $4 billion in annual export revenues in 2025 and displace bananas as the country's third biggest export. Ecuador experienced an economic slump last year caused by drought-driven electricity shortages and budget constraints that stymied investment and normal business operations. An International Monetary Fund report last month suggested Ecuador make structural reforms to attract private investment in what it called high potential sectors such as mining, hydrocarbons and energy. Together with the Waorani, another Indigenous people, the A'i Cofan won an important court victory to prevent gold mining in their territory. Alex Lucitante, an A'i Cofan leader and a Goldman Environmental Prize winner, called the latest government move a "direct attack on Indigenous peoples and every struggle we've led to defend our territories." "This isn't an isolated decision, it's part of a broader strategy," he said. He cited a recently approved Protected Areas And Local Development Law, which he called an attempt to exclude Indigenous peoples from the consultation process involving new development projects. "These actions represent a devastating step backward. They threaten to undermine everything we've achieved and violate our right to self-determination," Lucitante said. "It's as if the government wants to wipe out both our lands and the lives of Indigenous peoples entirely," he said. (Reporting by Dan Collyns; Editing by Anastasia Moloney and Jon Hemming. The Thomson Reuters Foundation is the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters. Visit
San Francisco Chronicle
19-05-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Ecuador to host Indigenous summit seeking enforcement of court's human rights rulings
Indigenous leaders from across Latin America will meet this week for talks on how to enforce legal rulings designed to enforce their rights to justice and territorial protection. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights, a regional tribunal that holds governments accountable for upholding human rights, has made decisions backing Indigenous peoples' rights — including to their ancestral lands, which they consider essential to preserve their culture and way of life — which are not being implemented by Latin America governments. There is growing concern that without stronger legal protections, government enforcement and adequate resources, the Costa Rica-based court's rulings will remain largely symbolic. Leaders from across the region will gather for a summit from May 21-25 in Quito, Ecuador, to discuss the obstacles to enforcing Inter-American Court rulings. The main aim will be to issue a collective statement calling on governments and institutions to ensure justice and territorial protection. 'This is very important for us because there are constitutional guarantees that favor Indigenous peoples. Even so, there has not been full compliance with the rulings,' Tulio Renato Viteri Gualinga, head of international relations for the Sarayaku Indigenous community, told The Associated Press. Nataly Yepes, a legal advisor for Amazon Watch, an organization that works to protect the rainforest, said the summit, which will be hosted by the Kichwa community of Sarayaku, marks a rare and valuable moment where Indigenous knowledge will inform discussions on strengthening justice systems across Latin America. 'What we hope is that this won't just be a one-off event, but rather the first step toward building an alternative and critical approach to traditional justice systems," Yepes said, adding that that in times of democratic, institutional, and climate crises, Indigenous wisdom offers essential perspectives for more inclusive and resilient legal systems. Indigenous peoples, who in many cases have successfully managed and protected lands for millennia, have long argued that ensuring territorial rights is a climate solution. That argument has gained traction in international climate circles in recent years, though respective governments are sometimes slow or simply opposed to granting more territorial rights. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights rules on human rights violations across Latin America and the Caribbean. Its decisions are legally binding for member states of the Organization of American States, but enforcement often depends on political will at national level. Last month, the court condemned Ecuador for failing to protect the Tagaeri and Taromenane peoples in Yasuní National Park. In 2017, it ruled against Colombia for allowing oil exploration on U'wa ancestral lands without proper consultation. Other countries — including Nicaragua, Paraguay, Suriname, Argentina and Honduras — have also faced similar rulings, though enforcement across the region has often been slow or incomplete due to lack of political will, bureaucratic delays, and weak institutions. ___
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ecuador to host Indigenous summit seeking enforcement of court's human rights rulings
Indigenous leaders from across Latin America will meet this week for talks on how to enforce legal rulings designed to enforce their rights to justice and territorial protection. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights, a regional tribunal that holds governments accountable for upholding human rights, has made decisions backing Indigenous peoples' rights — including to their ancestral lands, which they consider essential to preserve their culture and way of life — which are not being implemented by Latin America governments. There is growing concern that without stronger legal protections, government enforcement and adequate resources, the Costa Rica-based court's rulings will remain largely symbolic. Leaders from across the region will gather for a summit from May 21-25 in Quito, Ecuador, to discuss the obstacles to enforcing Inter-American Court rulings. The main aim will be to issue a collective statement calling on governments and institutions to ensure justice and territorial protection. 'This is very important for us because there are constitutional guarantees that favor Indigenous peoples. Even so, there has not been full compliance with the rulings,' Tulio Renato Viteri Gualinga, head of international relations for the Sarayaku Indigenous community, told The Associated Press. Nataly Yepes, a legal advisor for Amazon Watch, an organization that works to protect the rainforest, said the summit, which will be hosted by the Kichwa community of Sarayaku, marks a rare and valuable moment where Indigenous knowledge will inform discussions on strengthening justice systems across Latin America. 'What we hope is that this won't just be a one-off event, but rather the first step toward building an alternative and critical approach to traditional justice systems," Yepes said, adding that that in times of democratic, institutional, and climate crises, Indigenous wisdom offers essential perspectives for more inclusive and resilient legal systems. Indigenous peoples, who in many cases have successfully managed and protected lands for millennia, have long argued that ensuring territorial rights is a climate solution. That argument has gained traction in international climate circles in recent years, though respective governments are sometimes slow or simply opposed to granting more territorial rights. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights rules on human rights violations across Latin America and the Caribbean. Its decisions are legally binding for member states of the Organization of American States, but enforcement often depends on political will at national level. Last month, the court condemned Ecuador for failing to protect the Tagaeri and Taromenane peoples in Yasuní National Park. In 2017, it ruled against Colombia for allowing oil exploration on U'wa ancestral lands without proper consultation. Other countries — including Nicaragua, Paraguay, Suriname, Argentina and Honduras — have also faced similar rulings, though enforcement across the region has often been slow or incomplete due to lack of political will, bureaucratic delays, and weak institutions. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Hamilton Spectator
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Ecuador to host Indigenous summit seeking enforcement of court's human rights rulings
Indigenous leaders from across Latin America will meet this week for talks on how to enforce legal rulings designed to enforce their rights to justice and territorial protection. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights, a regional tribunal that holds governments accountable for upholding human rights, has made decisions backing Indigenous peoples' rights — including to their ancestral lands, which they consider essential to preserve their culture and way of life — which are not being implemented by Latin America governments. There is growing concern that without stronger legal protections, government enforcement and adequate resources, the Costa Rica-based court's rulings will remain largely symbolic. Leaders from across the region will gather for a summit from May 21-25 in Quito, Ecuador, to discuss the obstacles to enforcing Inter-American Court rulings. The main aim will be to issue a collective statement calling on governments and institutions to ensure justice and territorial protection. 'This is very important for us because there are constitutional guarantees that favor Indigenous peoples . Even so, there has not been full compliance with the rulings,' Tulio Renato Viteri Gualinga, head of international relations for the Sarayaku Indigenous community, told The Associated Press. Nataly Yepes, a legal advisor for Amazon Watch, an organization that works to protect the rainforest, said the summit, which will be hosted by the Kichwa community of Sarayaku, marks a rare and valuable moment where Indigenous knowledge will inform discussions on strengthening justice systems across Latin America. 'What we hope is that this won't just be a one-off event, but rather the first step toward building an alternative and critical approach to traditional justice systems,' Yepes said, adding that that in times of democratic, institutional, and climate crises, Indigenous wisdom offers essential perspectives for more inclusive and resilient legal systems. Indigenous peoples, who in many cases have successfully managed and protected lands for millennia, have long argued that ensuring territorial rights is a climate solution. That argument has gained traction in international climate circles in recent years, though respective governments are sometimes slow or simply opposed to granting more territorial rights. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights rules on human rights violations across Latin America and the Caribbean. Its decisions are legally binding for member states of the Organization of American States , but enforcement often depends on political will at national level. Last month, the court condemned Ecuador for failing to protect the Tagaeri and Taromenane peoples in Yasuní National Park . In 2017, it ruled against Colombia for allowing oil exploration on U'wa ancestral lands without proper consultation. Other countries — including Nicaragua, Paraguay, Suriname, Argentina and Honduras — have also faced similar rulings, though enforcement across the region has often been slow or incomplete due to lack of political will, bureaucratic delays, and weak institutions. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at .
Winnipeg Free Press
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Ecuador to host Indigenous summit seeking enforcement of court's human rights rulings
Indigenous leaders from across Latin America will meet this week for talks on how to enforce legal rulings designed to enforce their rights to justice and territorial protection. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights, a regional tribunal that holds governments accountable for upholding human rights, has made decisions backing Indigenous peoples' rights — including to their ancestral lands, which they consider essential to preserve their culture and way of life — which are not being implemented by Latin America governments. There is growing concern that without stronger legal protections, government enforcement and adequate resources, the Costa Rica-based court's rulings will remain largely symbolic. Leaders from across the region will gather for a summit from May 21-25 in Quito, Ecuador, to discuss the obstacles to enforcing Inter-American Court rulings. The main aim will be to issue a collective statement calling on governments and institutions to ensure justice and territorial protection. 'This is very important for us because there are constitutional guarantees that favor Indigenous peoples. Even so, there has not been full compliance with the rulings,' Tulio Renato Viteri Gualinga, head of international relations for the Sarayaku Indigenous community, told The Associated Press. Nataly Yepes, a legal advisor for Amazon Watch, an organization that works to protect the rainforest, said the summit, which will be hosted by the Kichwa community of Sarayaku, marks a rare and valuable moment where Indigenous knowledge will inform discussions on strengthening justice systems across Latin America. 'What we hope is that this won't just be a one-off event, but rather the first step toward building an alternative and critical approach to traditional justice systems,' Yepes said, adding that that in times of democratic, institutional, and climate crises, Indigenous wisdom offers essential perspectives for more inclusive and resilient legal systems. Indigenous peoples, who in many cases have successfully managed and protected lands for millennia, have long argued that ensuring territorial rights is a climate solution. That argument has gained traction in international climate circles in recent years, though respective governments are sometimes slow or simply opposed to granting more territorial rights. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights rules on human rights violations across Latin America and the Caribbean. Its decisions are legally binding for member states of the Organization of American States, but enforcement often depends on political will at national level. Last month, the court condemned Ecuador for failing to protect the Tagaeri and Taromenane peoples in Yasuní National Park. In 2017, it ruled against Colombia for allowing oil exploration on U'wa ancestral lands without proper consultation. Other countries — including Nicaragua, Paraguay, Suriname, Argentina and Honduras — have also faced similar rulings, though enforcement across the region has often been slow or incomplete due to lack of political will, bureaucratic delays, and weak institutions. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
