Native Peruvians protest against environmental damage

Indigenous ethnic groups in Peru have launched protests against the government to protect their native lands.

Thousands of native Peruvians formed blockades around oil pumping stations to demonstrate against laws they believe threaten their livelihoods and make it easier for the Amazon rainforest to be exploited in order to obtain oil.

Protestors also objected to the Peru Navy breaking down river barricades set up as part of the demonstrations.

The latest protests stem from 2008, when president Alan Garcia received special powers in order to expedite the implementation of a free trade accord with the US.

However, the special powers also gave him the ability to enact "separate unrelated legislation", which native people believe could be used to sanction developments in the rainforest that could be dangerous to the environment.

Around 350,000 native people remain in Peru's Amazon rainforest where they depend on hunting and fishing. Local groups believe corporate interests across their lands could threaten their way of live

Peru has signed 13 oil and natural gas contracts so far this year, a move that has attracted criticism from environmental groups, who say that this could damage the rainforest and put isolated indigenous groups at risk.

Written by Aaron Akinyemi

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