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| Federation of Indigenous Organizations of Napo (FOIN) at U.N. Censored News |
In the Amazon, Indigenous leaders are assassinated, and there's no action from the United Nations
NEW YORK -- Indigenous women in the Amazon question why there is no decisive action from the United Nations while leaders are being assassinated and mining and criminals flourish in the Amazon.
"We can not talk about implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples if we do not recognize that illegal mining, drug trafficking, illegal logging, human trafficking and other illicit activities are killing us," said Nely Shiguango, Kichwa leader and Head of Education, Culture, and Women’s Affairs at the Federation of Indigenous Organizations of Napo (FOIN) in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
“These criminal economies contaminate our rivers with mercury, destroy our food sources, deteriorate our health and livelihoods, and spread fear in our communities: they kill leaders, recruit our youth, and displace us from our territories,”
“How can we talk about implementing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples if we don’t acknowledge that we are being killed?”
"I'm wondering, why we are still not taking decisive action within these forums. These forums should provide a response."
"Our people cannot wait any longer."
"We need sufficient water, and now we seem to have sufficient water, but we are given toxic plastic to collect it in, so that is another problem."
Amazon Watch said, "Shiguango called on the Forum to urge the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to produce a specialized report on the impacts of organized crime on Indigenous peoples, including concrete recommendations to strengthen Indigenous territorial governance, intercultural health, and community security, and to uphold traditional ways of life."
"Her testimony is grounded in the alarming reality documented in the recent report Gold, Gangs, and Governance: Indigenous Communities Under the Grip of Organized Crime, which highlights the sharp rise of illegal mining operations in Napo province. In just one year, illegal gold mining has expanded by over 500 hectares – encroaching on protected areas like the Sumaco Napo-Galeras National Park. The report also details how mercury pollution is contaminating the Napo River, with devastating consequences for the health of Kichwa communities and the biodiversity of the region."
"Our people cannot wait any longer."
"We need sufficient water, and now we seem to have sufficient water, but we are given toxic plastic to collect it in, so that is another problem."
Amazon Watch said, "Shiguango called on the Forum to urge the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to produce a specialized report on the impacts of organized crime on Indigenous peoples, including concrete recommendations to strengthen Indigenous territorial governance, intercultural health, and community security, and to uphold traditional ways of life."
"Her testimony is grounded in the alarming reality documented in the recent report Gold, Gangs, and Governance: Indigenous Communities Under the Grip of Organized Crime, which highlights the sharp rise of illegal mining operations in Napo province. In just one year, illegal gold mining has expanded by over 500 hectares – encroaching on protected areas like the Sumaco Napo-Galeras National Park. The report also details how mercury pollution is contaminating the Napo River, with devastating consequences for the health of Kichwa communities and the biodiversity of the region."
Indigenous women and youths say there has been no significant progress to ensure their safety, as mining continues to result in violence and sex trafficking, targeting Indigenous women and girls. The Continental Network of Indigenous Women of the Americas (ECMIA) represents organized Indigenous women, young women, and girls from 23 countries in the Americas. Watch: U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in News York. https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1l/k1llzx75ie
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From the Peruvian Amazon, Miguel Guimaraes, Shipibo-Konibo leader and Vice President of AIDESEP, reinforced this call with a powerful statement from the territories most affected:
“The Permanent Forum must formally recognize that organized crime and illegal economies such as drug trafficking and illegal mining are an existential threat to our peoples. We must be included in drafting the international protocol on environmental crimes, and protection mechanisms for Indigenous defenders must be created, along with funding for Indigenous-led economic alternatives. If these measures are not taken, ongoing military and police interventions in our territories will continue to put our lives at risk. Without dignified livelihoods, we cannot safeguard our culture or our territories.”
His remarks echo recent events in Ucayali, where armed assailants shot Indigenous leader José Hugo Briones Taricuarima three times while he worked on his farm in the community of Flor de Ucayali – Miguel´s own community. The attack, driven by the expansion of illegal coca plantations and aggressive state-led eradication efforts, has sparked alarm across the region. Indigenous organizations and allies, including FECONAU and IDL, publicly condemned the violence and demanded immediate protection and justice. This incident highlights the dangerous conditions Indigenous defenders face and reinforces Miguel’s urgent call for international mechanisms that center Indigenous voices and guarantee their safety.
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