Peru’s president named ‘Man of the Year’ despite human rights record
by Matthew
In recent days US magazine Latin Finance made Peruvian president Alan Garcia its ‘Man of the Year’.
President Garcia is promoting oil exploration on the lands of uncontacted Indians in the Peruvian Amazon. He’s not so keen, however, to even admit the existence of the peoples whose lands are being invaded.
Latin Finance’s award spurred Survival to send the magazine a short letter:
Dear Sir,
Peru’s economy may well be making ‘admirable progress’, as your magazine’s ‘Man of the Year’, Alan Garcia, Peru’s president, says, but at what cost.
The oil exploration and production his government is encouraging is endangering the lives of tribal peoples in the Peruvian rainforest who have had no contact with the outside world.
These ‘uncontacted’ tribes are extremely vulnerable to any form of contact with outsiders, like oil workers, because of their lack of immunity to western diseases, and it is very common for more than half of a newly-contacted tribe to die.
Moreover, this land is recognised as belonging to the tribes by international law - a law which Peru has ratified and which President Garcia’s government is choosing to ignore.
What do you think? Should President Garcia be awarded ‘Man of the Year’ while at the same time plotting the destruction of entire peoples?
Share your comments here, or you might wish to speak up for tribal people suffering in Peru over at the living in Peru website.