Attack on land rights defenders in Santa Clara de Uchunya
In January 2018, in the weeks following a court injunction against the palm oil company responsible for appropriating and deforesting more than 7,000 hectares of their ancestral territory, a spike in violent threats and intimidation took place against the Shipibo community of Santa Clara de Uchunya.
On 11 December 2017, a group of land rights defenders from Santa Clara de Uchunya community, Federación de Comunidades Nativas del Ucayali y Afluentes – FECONAU (Federation for Ucayali and Afluentes Native Communities) and Instituto de Defensa Legal – IDL (Institute for Legal Defence) were shot by unknown individuals, when they were exploring a deforested area half an hour away from the Aguaytía river.
Federación de Comunidades Nativas del Ucayali y Afluentes – FECONAU (Federation for Ucayali and Afluentes Native Communities) is one of the oldest indigenous federations of the Peruvian Amazon, which represents indigenous organisations of more than 30 native communities belonging to the Shipibo-Konibo, Asháninka, Isconahua and Aguajum indigenous peoples, from the provinces Coronel Portillo and Padre Abad from the Ucayali region, in the Peruvian Amazon region. The federation advocates for land and indigenous communities rights.
In January 2018, in the weeks following a court injunction against the palm oil company responsible for appropriating and deforesting more than 7,000 hectares of their ancestral territory, a spike in violent threats and intimidation took place against the Shipibo community of Santa Clara de Uchunya.
FECONAU is one of the oldest indigenous federations of the Peruvian Amazon, which represents indigenous organisations of more than 30 native communities belonging to the Shipibo-Konibo, Asháninka, Isconahua and Aguajum indigenous peoples, in the provinces of Coronel Portillo and Padre Abad in the Ucayali region of the Peruvian Amazon. The federation advocates for the recognition of indigenous communities’ rights and preservation of their ancestral territories. Santa Clara de Uchunya’s community leaders are members of the FECONAU.
The ancestral territory of the Shipibo people in the Peruvian Amazon, especially that of the Santa Clara de Uchunya community, faces complete deforestation due to the expansion of palm oil plantations. Santa Clara de Uchunya community leaders have denounced corruption in the Regional Government of Ucayali and the Municipal authorities in the District of Nueva Requena, which have been supportive of the expansion of palm oil plantations in the region. Additionally, the Regional Department for Agriculture, instead of titling the community’s ancestral lands, has continued to publicly undermine the indigenous community’s bid for legal recognition of their traditional land and issue certificates of possession to individuals who have settled in the area, under the pretext of rice cultivation, to engage in land grabbing.
On the night of 5 January 2018, two armed and hooded persons arrived at the home of a community elder, whose house is located in the vicinity of the expanding plantations. They proceeded to question his daughter-in-law, who was alone in the house, enquiring as to whether she was a community member, which she denied out of concern for her safety. The aggressors then showed her a shotgun and stated that they were looking for community leaders and community members, because they were ready to kill them. On the night of 20 January, several unknown hooded individuals attempted an attack against the same household but left before anyone was harmed. The chief of the community, Carlos Hoyos Soria, described the reality that families in Santa Clara de Uchunya are facing as: "death threats, direct gunshots at point-blank range and constant harassment.”
These incidents occurred only weeks after individuals engaged in illegal land grabbing and believed to be associated with the palm oil operations, fired gunshots on 11 December 2017 at a community delegation gathering evidence on the destruction of community forests. A representative of FECONAU, Edinson Mahua, narrowly escaped serious injury. Despite persistent calls for action directed at local authorities, they continue to fail to ensure the security of the community members. Community leaders reported the incident to the district prosecutor in Campo Verde, however, the district prosecutor has yet to notify the police in Nueva Requena in order to secure the necessary protection.
The increase in threats and intimidation also comes after the Fourth National Court for Preparatory Investigations in Lima ordered the immediate suspension of all logging and deforestation by the palm oil company, Plantaciones de Pucallpa SAC, now known as Ocho Sur P SAC, operating in Santa Clara de Uchunya’s territory. This court decision reaffirms a September 2015 resolution from the Ministry of Agriculture declaring that the company had engaged in illegal deforestation and ordering the suspension of operations. However, Ocho Sur P SAC continues to operate, dispatching palm fruit from the plantation by the truckload for further processing.
Front Line Defenders is deeply concerned by the the intensification of death threats and attacks against human rights defenders in the Community of Santa Clara de Uchunya. Front Line Defenders urges the authorities of Peru to immediately adopt all the necessary measures to ensure the safety of the community and members of FECONAU.
On 11 December 2017, a group of land rights defenders from Santa Clara de Uchunya community, Federación de Comunidades Nativas del Ucayali y Afluentes – FECONAU (Federation for Ucayali and Afluentes Native Communities) and Instituto de Defensa Legal – IDL (Institute for Legal Defence) were shot by unknown individuals, when they were exploring a deforested area half an hour away from the Aguaytía river.
FECONAU is one of the oldest indigenous federations of the Peruvian Amazon, which represents indigenous organisations of more than 30 native communities belonging to the Shipibo-Konibo, Asháninka, Isconahua and Aguajum indigenous peoples, in the provinces of Coronel Portillo and Padre Abad in the Ucayali region of the Peruvian Amazon. The federation advocates for land and indigenous communities’ rights, while IDL is an organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights and democracy in Peru.
On 11 December 2017, a group composed by 11 members of the Santa Clara de Uchunya community including Carlos Hoyos Soria, James Lozano Sangama, Miguel Fasabi Sinuiri, Iván Flores Rodríguez and also Arturo Mori, Edinson Mahua (members of FECONAU) and Álvaro Másquez Salvador (member of IDL) went together to one of the deforested sectors within the ancestral territories of the native community of Santa Clara de Uchunya, half an our away from Aguaytía river. Some reports had pointed out the presence of land invaders in that area. The group of land rights defenders and community members reached a plantain plantation, property of Fasabi Sinuiri, that has been taken by invaders to obtain a proof of possession by the Regional Directorate of Agriculture of the Regional Government of Ucayali and claim ownership of the land.
Walking through the harvest, the group saw a house and decided to approach. Edinson Mahua, Arturo Mori, Carlos Hoyos Soria, James Lozano Sangama and Iván Flores Rodríguez were in front of the group when they heard a shot and saw a man carrying a shotgun. Members of the community identified the shooter as part of the security team of the palm oil company Ocho Sur P. S.A.C. located 5 kilometres away of the plantation. Seconds after the first shot, two more shots from the house were directed at Edinson Mahua, who was taking pictures with his phone. One of the bullets brushed his chest, causing a slight injury. After this, Iván Flores Rodríguez and Arturo Mori went to the house to inform the invaders that the lands were property of the native community. However, the occupiers responded they would be obtaining proof of possession from the Regional Directorate of Agriculture of the Regional Government of Ucayali for 620 hectares of land.
The ancestral territory of the Shipibo people in the Peruvian Amazon, especially that of the Santa Clara de Uchunya community, faces complete deforestation due the expansion of palm oil plantations. Invaders typically obtain proof of possession from Regional Directorate of Agriculture of the Regional Government of Ucayali then sell the land to the palm oil company Ocho Sur P. S.A.C. The livelihood and safety of the Santa Clara de Uchunya community is increasingly threatened, in particular for Fasabi Sinuiri, Rodit Guerra Tenazoa and Huber Flores Rodríguez who live near to the company’s settlement.
Since August 2015, more that 5000 hectares of land have been appropriated and deforested by the palm oil companies. Indigenous leaders and community members who protest face death threats and intimidation. Despite suspension orders by the Ministry of Agriculture, the activities of the palm oil companies have not stopped. Peruvian human rights defenders and local communities have denounced the lack of consultation of indigenous communities and irregularities in the appropriation of communal land, as well as negative consequences on the environment and livelihood of local communities. Intense social protest in the areas affected have been met with a violent response by the state and the excessive use of force by the police and the army. Environmental rights defenders who work in the defence of the rights of indigenous or campesino communities have been the direct target of judicial harassment, physical attacks, police brutality, smear campaigns, and surveillance.
Front Line Defenders is deeply concerned about the risks human rights defenders and land defenders face everyday in order to carry out their work.
