Indigenous communities in Peru’s Amazon are opposing a federal highway project citing threats to their lands, increased crime, and ecological damage. They demand proper consultations, which have largely been ignored by the government. Legal experts also criticize the government’s division of the project into sections as a tactic to fast-track approvals.
The ongoing construction of a federal highway in Peru’s Amazon is raising significant concerns among Indigenous populations, including the Maijuna, Kichwa, Bora, and Huitoto communities. These groups, along with legal experts, assert that the highway threatens their ancestral lands and protected areas, fearing adverse social and environmental impacts such as land invasions, increased crime, and ecological harm. While some communities support the project for improved access, they unanimously demand that the government conduct prior consultations, which have only occurred in a single instance thus far.
The 188-kilometer Bellavista-Mazán-Salvador-El Estrecho highway aims to connect the provinces of Maynas and Putumayo with Colombia. Indigenous residents have expressed concern that the highway will facilitate drug trafficking and threaten endangered wildlife habitats. Despite some community members seeing potential benefits such as market access, the lack of adequate consultation about the road’s implications raises doubts about the project’s execution.
José Murayari, the vice president of the Organization of the Indigenous Peoples of the Eastern Amazon, emphasized, “We are not opposed to its construction, but we must understand that the road does not come with the package that is needed, such as education, health and food security. We demand that a sustainable road be built.” Legal experts are also critical of the government’s decision to divide the highway construction into four sections, which obscures the combined impacts and expedites the approval process.
Concerns about social and environmental degradation have gained traction among organizations like Derecho, Ambiente y Recursos Naturales and Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental. Key issues include the rise in illegal logging and a proliferation of drug trafficking in vulnerable Indigenous regions. The initial section of the highway, completed in 2021, has already witnessed land invasions and deforestation linked to its construction.
Leaders from local communities report experiencing negative consequences, including threats from drug traffickers emboldened by the road. Arlen Ribeira, president of the Federation of Native Border Communities of Putumayo, remarked on the road’s facilitation of criminal activities. Furthermore, while a law mandating prior consultations exists, the Peruvian government has not effectively implemented it, with only one community currently engaged in the process.
Despite the legal requirement to consult Indigenous communities about developments impacting their lands, the Transportation Ministry has adopted a restrictive definition of affected areas, which limits the scope of consultation. This approach neglects many communities who are at risk from the highway. Bryan Jara, a legal expert, pointed out that the government’s strategy to divide the project could circumvent rigorous environmental assessments.
Legal challenges persist in the consultation process, and the ambiguity surrounding impact zones complicates the involvement of affected communities. As this situation evolves, Indigenous leaders continue to demand accountability and comprehensive dialogue regarding the development of the highway.
The construction of the Bellavista-Mazán-Salvador-El Estrecho highway in Peru remains a contentious issue, primarily due to its potential risks to Indigenous lands and environmental integrity. Indigenous communities emphasize the necessity of proper consultations and sustainable approaches to development. The government’s strategies, including project division, prompt concerns among legal experts about the transparency and thoroughness of environmental assessments.
Original Source: news.mongabay.com
