AMAZON WATCH 2009 ANNUAL REPORT Photo by Lou Dematteis / SpectralQ STATE OF THE AMAZON Dear Friends, series of new anti-indigenous decrees were violently attacked by the police. The government reacted by 2009 can be summed up in two words, inspiring and trying to blame the protesters and victims. Weeks of heartbreaking. around the clock vigilance and organizing work by Peruvian indigenous rights advocates and Amazon In January, I was one of more than 91,000 people Watch resulted in unprecedented public outcry over gathered in Belem, Brazil for the World Social Forum – the government’s brutal attacks. CNN, Democracy the largest ever anti-globalization gathering where the Now, New York Times, BBC and other global media destruction of the Amazon and attacks on indigenous outlets all reported on the story with prompting by rights were some of the key moments. On opening Amazon Watch. The Peruvian Congress eventually day, our team helped the indigenous movement repealed two of the problematic laws. organize an inspiring action bringing together some 1,700 indigenous leaders, and environmentalists in Throughout the year, Amazon Watch’s dedicated staff forming a human banner with the message “SALVE and partners took to the airwaves, oil company board- A AMAZONIA” (“Save the Amazon” in Portuguese) rooms, and international summits to defend indig- around a massive silhouette of an indigenous warrior. enous rights and the rainforests. We celebrated some Photographed from the air and transmitted worldwide strategic milestones throughout the year: by Amazon Watch, the banner sent a powerful mes- sage to local, regional and international media about The Chevron Clean Up Ecuador campaign cata- how the world’s largest rainforest ecosystem is fast ap- pulted into the media spotlight with a segment on proaching the tipping point of ecological unraveling. CBS 60 Minutes and the release full-length docu- mentary fi lm,Crude , which portrays the epic 15-year The year’s heartbreaking moment came when on the legal battle between 30,000 Amazonian residents early morning hours of June 5, peaceful indigenous and oil giant Chevron over massive oil contamina- blockades in the Peruvian Amazon in protest of a tion in Ecuador’s Amazon. 3 STATE OF THE Amazon Watch increased pressure on Talisman En- Throughout the year, Amazon Watch served as an ergy and ConocoPhillips to not enter indigenous ongoing center for solidarity and support to environ- lands in Peruvian Amazon while pressing Occidental mental and indigenous allies on the front lines, pro- Petroleum and Pluspetrol to address their legacy of viding them with financial support, capacity building, past oil contamination on Achuar territory. strategic planning and media outreach. We expanded our Brazil program, hiring a full-time When I think back to that incredibly inspiring gathering A Campaigner and participating in the Plataforma in Brazil in January, I remember noticing among our MAZON BNDES, a network of Brazilian (and increasingly Latin partners a fear that the Amazon is fast losing ground, American) civil society organizations affected by proj- mixed with deep love for the forest and sadness that ects funded by the Brazilian National Development it may be irreversibly lost in our lifetime. Unless more Bank (BNDES). of us urbanites band with the people of the forest, we could face the collapse of this massive life giving sys- We worked to document the impact of the Madeira tem. So I urge you to get involved, to be the vanguard River Complex, Manta-Manaus Corridor and Belo of hope. Monte Dam that threaten to destroy the rivers of the Amazon. On behalf of everyone at Amazon Watch, I think all of our supporters and partners and invite you to con- From the Indigenous Peoples Summit on Climate tinue investing in Amazon Watch in this critical time Change in Alaska in April to the UN Climate change for the defense of our planet and human rights. talks in Copenhagen (COP-15) in December, Amazon Watch actively supported indigenous peoples’ delega- For the Amazon, tion by helping them bring their message on issues such as carbon credits and indigenous land rights to international decision makers and the media. 4 O UR M ISSI ON AN D VISI Photo by Christian Poirier ON Our Mission Our Vision We strive for a world in which gov- ernments, corporations and civil AMAZON WATCH WORKS We envision a world that honors society respect the collective rights to protect the rainforest and and values cultural and biological of indigenous peoples to free, advance the rights of indige- diversity and the critical contribu- prior and informed consent over nous peoples in the Amazon tion of tropical rainforests to our any activity affecting their territo- planet’s life support systems. ries and resources. Basin. We partner with in- digenous and environmental We believe that indigenous sel de- We commit, in the spirit of part- organizations in campaigns termination is paramount, and see nership and mutual respect, to for human rights, corporate that indigenous knowledge, cultures support our indigenous allies in accountability and the pres- and traditional practices contribute their efforts to protect life, land, ervation of the Amazon’s greatly to sustainable and equitable and culture in accordance with ecological systems. stewardship of the Earth. their aspirations and needs. 5 O UR S T R ATE GI E S Photo by Kevin Koenig Our Strategies IN THE AmaZon reGion OF BRAZIL, COLOMBIA, ECUADOR AND PERU, Amazon Watch is working directly with indigenous communities to build local capacity and advance the long-term protection of their territories. In partnership with indigenous peoples, nongovernmental organizations, concernedshareholders and citizens, we utilize the following strategies: 6 O UR S Campaign to persuade decision assert their collective and territo- At the same time we monitor and makers in corporations, interna- rial rights and advance an alterna- publicize new threats in pristine or T tional financial institutions and tive vision for conservation-based vulnerable Amazon frontiers and R national governments to honor development of their territories seek an end to public financing for ATE the rights of indigenous peoples destructive projects. to self-determination and free, Seek permanent protection GI prior and informed consent over for threatened areas and vulner- Educate corporate executives, E “development” decisions in their able indigenous populations in the shareholders, public officials and S territories and to fund full cleanup Amazon rainforest. In partnership the general public using media of areas devastated by past and with national governments and ally coverage, websites, publications, present oil drilling. We use media organizations in South America, documentary films and dialogue. exposure, legal action and share- we promote new, sustainable We strive to foster widespread holder campaigns to demand cor- alternatives to resource extraction- understanding of the intrinsic porate social and environmental based economic development. value of indigenous peoples stew- accountability. ardship and the global significance of the Amazon Strengthen capacity of rainforest. By building indigenous organizations in awareness and promoting the Amazon to defend their green economic alterna- rights in local, national and tives to the current export- international fora. Through oriented fossil fuel based legal, advocacy, media and development model, we technology training and the are helping to bring about donation of equipment, we a paradigm shift within key help our indigenous partners Photo by Amazon Watch institutions and society. 7 Photo by Atossa Soltani PERU Confronting Extractive Industries in Peru WitH 74 percent of THE PeruVian Amazon now zoned as oil and gas concessions, Amazon Watch is working with local indigenous partners and socially responsible investors to stop the industry‘’s sprawl into culturally and ecologi- cally sensitive areas and change industry policies and practices. In Northern Peru, an area of high biological and cultural diversity, we supported the Achuar and other indigenous peoples in pro- tecting nearly 20 million acres of intact primary rainforest. We helped advance indigenous land claims and pressured companies currently hold- ing oil concessions, including Talisman, Hunt Oil and ConocoPhillips, and Pluspetrol to respect the rights of indigenous peoples to free, prior and in- formed consent (FPIC) over any activities affecting their territories and livelihood. Photo by Mitch Anderson PE RU Amazon Watch also continued to In OXY’s former concession, mission an independent work with the Achuar people as Amazon Watch and the Achuar third party to evaluate whether they sought justice from Occiden- celebrated the milestone of suc- the company’s policies and proce- tal Petroleum (OXY) for past harm cessfully pushing current conces- dures conform to the internation- to their health and environment. sion holder Pluspetrol to modify its ally recognized legal standard of During its 30 years operating in operations to re-inject 100 percent free, prior and informed consent. the Corrientes River basin, OXY of all formation waters from Blocks Amazon Watch sees this report dumped over 9 billion barrels of 1AB and Block 8x in the Corri- as a key tool to use in urging toxic production waters directly entes, Pastaza and Tigre regions Talisman to leave Achuar terri- into the Achuar’s rainforest terri- of Northern Peru. This modifica- tory in the Pastaza region, per the tory in an oil block known as 1AB.