Fossil Fuel Industry targets Indigenous peoples of the Amazon during COVID-19
During the midst of a major global shutdown, we witnessed CO2 emissions dropping in the atmosphere, animals roaming city streets, and a decrease in water pollution. Following the coronavirus pandemic, we thought there could potentially be higher dependence on fossil fuels, as companies desperately try to earn back the profit losses they saw during the last two months. For that reason, it is important that we keep our vision on the sustainable society we truly wish to create for future generations.
As extractive industries are still in operation, we may start to ask ourselves a few questions:
What does it mean to live in a society that views the fossil fuel industry as “essential”?
How has fossil fuel industries impacted communities during COVID-19?
Which communities are the most affected by fossil fuel industries and who benefits from them the most?
The extractive industries are taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic by continuing the construction of pipelines in Unist’ot’en territory in Canada and in the Ecuadorian Amazon. So far, the media has focused on instilling fear among the people, while indigenous territories are being invaded by the fossil fuel industry. This not only threatens the land ownership of indigenous nations, but it also increases the risk of indigenous people contracting an infectious disease from a company worker or having to travel into local towns for food since many indigenous communities no longer are able to sustain themselves.
In addition to the threat of COVID-19, the fossil fuel industry has put indigenous communities at greater risk. Here are a few important updates:
Coastal GasLink in Canada is still contracting workers to construct the CGL pipeline in Unist’ot’en territory.
The extractive industries continue to trespass on Indigenous territory
On April 7th, there was a rupture of two major pipelines both caused by foreseeable land erosion. These ruptures contaminated the Coca and Napo rivers in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The local towns are currently facing food and water source contamination, consequently lowering their immune systems and further endangering the health of Indigenous peoples.
In South America, Brazil now holds the most cases of coronavirus with Ecuador closely following.
Indigenous communities of the Amazon region and those who live in rural areas are the most at risk and affected. The exposure to the disease could potentially “wipe-out” tribes, as it almost did with the Spanish “whooping cough.”
It is urgent that these frontline Indigenous communities receive global support. In a recording with Amazon Frontlines, a Siekopapi elder shared that:
“In the past our ancestors were able to hide deep in the forest but now we are completely surrounded by oil activity and agroindustry such as palm monoculture, and by colonization. The highways cut through our communities. This situation makes us, the Siekopapi people, vulnerable. Our community members are still leaving to buy food because we can no longer sustain ourselves with what our territory provides. The situation is getting more dangerous for the Siekopapi. We can’t go into the forest like before, like our grandfathers did.”
Amazon Frontlines also reported on their Instagram that, back during the first week of April, poisoned fish were found along the Shushufindi river. Evidence of oil spills and chemical substances along the river has been found throughout the past years, and the poisoning of fish and other wildlife undoubtedly has been the result of illegal fossil fuel extraction in their territories. Due to food contamination, the Amazonian Siekopai people are facing a food crisis during this global pandemic. Since it is dangerous for them to go outside of their communities and enter local towns to buy the food they need to survive the Siekopai people have no choice but to eat the contaminated food supply, which weakens their immune systems leaving them more susceptible to COVID-19.
According to an article from the Globo newspaper, Brazil has at least seven coronavirus cases among Indigenous populations. The Yanomami community, whose traditional homelands lay within the Amazon rainforest between Venezuela and Brazil, have confirmed the first coronavirus case. The patient is a 15-year-old boy who is currently being treated. A 20-year old woman from the Kokama tribe has also been confirmed. It is important to note that the Indigenous people of the Amazon are particularly vulnerable to infectious diseases because historically they have lived in isolation and do not come into contact with the germs or illnesses which a majority of the world has developed immunity to.
Many frontline Indigenous organizations are taking the necessary measures to protect their communities. These tasks include translating regulations and other preventive measures into various indigenous languages and sharing them across social media, enforcing no entry or exit from territories, denying entrance to both tourists and Ecuadorian nationals, and demanding that all oil, mining, hydroelectric and logging companies suspend all activities.
CALL TO ACTION
So what can we do to support the Indigenous peoples of the Amazon who are fighting for their survival? A donation to the Amazon Action Fund will help indigenous communities get information, supplies and the medical equipment needed to protect themselves from COVID-19. Texting ACT to 24365 for more information or visit Amazon Frontlines website.
