Houston Regional Group - News

A Peruvian native people, the Achuar, have recently scored two tremendous victories in their fight to save the rainforest lands (12 million acres) where they live from the devastating environmental impacts of oil/gas exploration/drilling/production. They need your help to prevent oil/gas companies from exploiting their rainforest home.

In December 2006 Occidental Petroleum (Oxy) told the Achuar that after 35 years of oil/gas exploitation in Peru they were leaving the country. Oxy stated it was leaving for business reasons; because it had not found oil; and due to the impacts its' operations have on communities (like the Achuar).

In October 2006 an agreement between Pluspetrol (an Argentina oil company) and the Achuar was signed. The agreement stops the dumping of a million barrels/day of drilling wastes into rivers/streams; provides emergency food supplies; and provides health clinics and clean water for the Achuar. Oxy operated the oil/gas field on Achuar land for 30 years and Pluspetrol did so for the past 5 years. The agreement occurred after the Achuar peacefully blockaded the oil/gas field in their homeland (Rio Corrientes river basin) for two weeks and reduced Peru's total oil output by 50%.

Other oil/gas companies (for example, ConocoPhillips) are showing renewed interest in drilling in the Achuar's rainforest home. ConocoPhillips has acquired 14 million acres of oil concessions in rainforest that has never been exploited.

This is where you can help. Write to ConocoPhillips and tell them to "Stay out of the Amazon!" The Achuar and other native peoples and the rainforest must be protected. Write: Mr. James Mulva, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, ConocoPhillips Corporation, 600 North Dairy, Ashford (77079-1175), P.O. Box 2197, Houston, Texas 77252-2197.

For more information about protecting the Achuar and Peruvian rainforests view the Amazon Watch website at: www.amazonwatch.org.

January 2007

Last updated:  12/16/2006.   Content © 1999-2006 by the Sierra Club.