The Corrientes River case: Indigenous people's mobilization in response to oil development in the Peruvian Amazon

Economic models applied in Latin America in the last fifty years tend to prioritize promoting economic growth heavily based on extractive industries and a power distribution model that affects social equity, justice and respect for human rights. Amazonian indigenous, low income and rural peoples are the social groups most susceptible to social, environmental and health problems caused by unsustainable practices such as large-scale extractive industries. One of the landmarks of oil development in the Peruvian Amazon was the discovery in 1971, of a large oil deposits in block IAB that include the Corrientes River basin, Department of Loreto. The promises of 'development' to be realized from these oil deposits never made reference to benefits for local natives. They were 'invisible' or ignored. Exclusion of indigenous people from the body politic and the sacrifice of their political right were underestimated to privilege the very concept of productive land use.This thesis advances our understanding of the social, political and environmental concerns that influenced the formation of a movement among the Achuar indigenous people, in response to oil exploitation activities in the Corrientes River basin in the Peruvian Amazon. This study is based on a political ecology analysis of my work over the last seven years and a review of existing literature on local and global relations of environmental issues. This thesis addresses the dynamic relationships between indigenous groups, local and international environmental rights movements, and the government often have contested views of development, nature, environment, and health. The Corrientes River case reveals how Amazonian indigenous people gained competence to demand recognition of their collective rights to health and citizenship as a result of strategic alliances with national, transnational groups and the support of the Ombudsman office. It also exposes weaknesses of some state institutions to address social-environmental conflicts. The Achuar people's mobilization was a result of frustration of over a decade of sterile dialogue with the energy, health authorities, and the oil companies (Oxy and Pluspetrol Norte S.A.), as well as pressure exerted by local people on their leaders. This mobilization ended with an agreement with Pluspetrol and government authorities that would have been unlikely to reach otherwise.