Survival

 

Survival is an international organization supporting tribal peoples worldwide, founded in 1969 after an article by Norman Lewis in the UK's Sunday Times which highlighted the massacres, land thefts and genocide taking place in Brazilian Amazonia. Like many modern atrocities, the racist oppression of Brazil's Indians took place in the name of 'economic growth'. Today, Survival has supporters in 82 countries. It works for tribal peoples' rights in three complementary ways: education, advocacy and campaigns. It also offers tribal people themselves a platform to address the world. survival works closely with local indigenous organizations, and focus on tribal peoples who have the most to lose, usually those most recently in contact with the outside world.

Summary / Synopsis
China’s Reforestation Programs: Big Success or Just an Illusion?
[Jon R. Luoma, 17/01/2012]
China’s Reforestation Programs: Big Success or Just an Illusion? Jon R. Luoma, a contributing editor at Audubon, has written about environmental and science topics for The New York Times, and for such magazines as National Geographic and Discover. In previous... Suite
Mountain forests under threat
[FAO, 09/12/2011]
Mountain forests under threat The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It was founded on 16 October 1945 in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. In 1951 its... Suite
Appalachian Regional Restoration Initiative
[Don Cheadle, 04/02/2011]
Appalachian Regional Restoration Initiative Don Cheadle, an award-winning American actor, rose to prominence in the late 1990s and the early 2000s In addition, he played the lead in the movie Traitor, which was directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff... Suite
Restoring our forests, the Mau Forests Complex, Kenya
[Wangari Maathai, 26/09/2011]
Restoring our forests, the Mau Forests Complex, Kenya @font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Arial"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";... Suite
Li Bingbing : "Chinese forests: Our Lifeline for Sustained Prosperity"
[Li Bingbing, 02/05/2011]
Li Bingbing : "Chinese forests: Our Lifeline for Sustained Prosperity" Li Bingbing, one of China’s most popular actresses, is well known for her achievements both on and off the screen. Her latest movie is Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame. Throughout... Suite
Sachin Tendulkar : "it would be selfish of me to think though that I am the only one that needs trees."
[Sachin Tendulkar, 10/04/2011]
Sachin Tendulkar : "it would be selfish of me to think though that I am the only one that needs trees." Sachin Tendulkar - UNEP Goodwill Ambassador - is the first player to score fifty centuries in all international cricket. He is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of the... Suite
Will intensified farming save the rainforests?
[Fred Pearce, New Scientist, 09/02/2011]
Will intensified farming save the rainforests? Fred Pearce is journalist specialized in the environment and development. He was born in the United Kingdom and studied geography in the University of Cambridge. His latest book is When the Rivers... Suite
Seing the forest through the trees
[Yann Arthus-Bertrand, 02/02/2011]
Seing the forest through the trees Yann Arthus-Bertrand is a famous photographer. He has always had a passion for the animal world and the natural environment. In 1991 he founded Altitude, the world’s first aerial photography agency... Suite
Russia is Burning
[Yevgenia Albats, 10/08/2010]
Russia is Burning Yevgenia Albats is Professor of Political Science at The Higher School of Economics and Editor of The New Times Magazine. Suite
What’s Killing the Great Forests of the American West?
[Jim Robbins, 15/03/2010]
What’s Killing the Great Forests of the American West? Jim Robbins is a veteran journalist based in Helena, Montana. He has written for the New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, and numerous other publications. His fifth book, The Forgotten Forest, about... Suite
Roads are ruining the rainforests
[William F. Laurance, New Scientist, 30/08/2009]
Roads are ruining the rainforests William F. Laurance is a biologist in the research department at The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama which studies tropical nature and its importance for human well-being. Its... Suite
Seeing REDD in the Amazon: a win for people, trees and climate
[Virgilio Viana, 15/03/2009]
Seeing REDD in the Amazon: a win for people, trees and climate Professor Virgílio Viana is one of Brazil’s leading experts on forestry, environment and sustainable development. He served as Secretary of State for Environment and Sustainable Development and is... Suite
Oil companies ‘should withdraw’ as Peru ‘faces its Tiananmen’
[Survival, 08/06/2009]
Oil companies ‘should withdraw’ as Peru ‘faces its Tiananmen’ Survival is an international organization supporting tribal peoples worldwide, founded in 1969 after an article by Norman Lewis in the UK's Sunday Times which highlighted the massacres, land thefts... Suite
Focus on deforestation in the climate-energy negociations
[Olivier BOUYER, 31/12/2008]
Focus on deforestation in the climate-energy negociations Olivier BOUYER est Ingénieur du Génie Rural, des Eaux et Forêts. Il a participé à la conférence de Poznan (en 2008) avec la délégation française comme chargé de mission “effet de serre et forêt””... Suite
The Other Carbon Economy
[Vandana Shiva, Resurgence, 01/05/2008]
The Other Carbon Economy Vandana Shiva (India): Physicist, epistemologist, ecologist, and Indian feminist with a PhD in the philosophy of science. She founded “Navdanya,” an association which works to protect biodiversity... Suite
Forest destruction: The road to ruin
[William F. Laurance, 06/06/2007]
Forest destruction: The road to ruin William F. Laurance is a biologist in the research department at The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama which studies tropical nature and its importance for human well-being. Its... Suite
Look, no carbon footprint!
[Fred Pearce, New Scientist, 09/03/2007]
Look, no carbon footprint! Fred Pearce is journalist specialized in the environment and development. He was born in the United Kingdom and studied geography in the University of Cambridge. His latest book is When the Rivers... Suite
Forests in France
[Thierry Jaccaud, L'écologiste, 01/07/2007]
Forests in France Thierry Jaccaud is chief editor of the magazine L’Ecologiste (french version of The Ecologist) since its creation in 2000. He graduated with honors from the Higher Institute for Environmental... Suite
The ambiguous role that forests play in relation to climate
[Nathalie de NOBLET-DUCOUDRE, La Recherche, 01/12/2007]
The ambiguous role that forests play in relation to climate Nathalie de NOBLET-DUCOUDRE is a researcher at the LSCE (environment and climate sciences laboratory). She studies climate evolution, the role of man, and biogeochemical cycles which affect climate... Suite
Forest Services
[Lester Brown, Worldwatch Institute, 01/01/2007]
Forest Services Lester Russel Brown, famous author of more than 50 books on the environment and founder of the Worldwatch Institute in the United States, urges us to become more aware of the many services forests... Suite

Oil companies ‘should withdraw’ as Peru ‘faces its Tiananmen’

10/06/2009 4:55 pm

Survival International today called on all oil companies operating in the Peruvian Amazon to suspend operations as the country comes to terms with the worst political violence since the Shining Path insurgency in the 1980s.

The companies include Anglo-French Perenco (a major gas supplier to the UK), Argentina’s PlusPetrol, Canada’s Petrolifera, Spain’s Repsol, Brazil’s Petrobras and many others.

Violent clashes on Friday between Amazon Indians blockading roads and rivers, and police and army units intent on breaking up the protests have left dozens of Indians, and at least 23 policemen, dead.

The Indians have been protesting for two months against a series of laws which open up their communal rainforests to oil and gas companies. In the last few years more than 70% of the Amazon has been parcelled out to oil and gas companies for exploration, and a series of large-scale finds threaten to transform much of the Indians’ virgin forests. Similar schemes in neighbouring Ecuador have had a devastating effect on the rainforest, and led to chronic pollution and ill-health amongst the Indians who live there.

The government’s response to the protests has been dismissive: President Garcia has rebuffed attempts by Congress to debate the laws at the centre of the controversy, labelling the protests ‘a conspiracy’ and the protesters ‘ignorant’. Peruvian Indian leader Alberto Pizango, speaking before he went into hiding, said, ‘We feel that the government has always treated us as second-class citizens’.

Survival’s Director Stephen Corry said today, ‘Peruvian Indians are being driven to desperate measures to try and save their lands which have been stolen from them for five centuries.

‘Their protests signal that the colonial era has finally drawn to a close. No longer are Amazon Indians prepared to put up with the illegal and brutal treatment which has been routine. That’s finished. This is the Amazon’s Tiananmen. If it finishes the same way, it will also end Peru’s international reputation.

‘Oil companies operating in Peru should suspend their operations until calm is restored and the Indians’ communal land rights are properly respected – only then can they negotiate as equals.’