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Peru’s Genocide Bill
Indigenous Peoples fighting for their life
Right now in Peru, a bill dubbed the ‘Genocide Bill’ has been proposed to reverse a law that for the past 17 years has guaranteed the life, integrity and territory of Indigenous peoples in isolation and initial contact (PIACI). A reversal of PIACI’s Law (Law 28736) will put the 7,500 Indigenous peoples who have chosen to live in voluntary isolation in an extremely vulnerable and potentially life threatening position.
7,500 Indigenous peoples will be in danger
If this bill is passed, the reserves created to protect these PIACI communities will no longer serve to protect them, leaving their land vulnerable and exposed to exploitative and illegal activities such as logging, mining and drug trafficking.
The bill has been classified as unconstitutional
Many organisations have spoken out against this proposed bill, calling it unconstitutional. If approved, it will mean that the official recognition of any uncontacted community and their reserves will be revoked.
Aerial view of deforestation. Rainforest being removed to make way for palm oil and rubber plantations
Uncontacted communities who are yet to have legal protection will remain vulnerable
As well as invalidating reserves that have already been created to protect PIACI communities, this bill will also block the creation of new reserves for uncontacted communities whose territories currently have no protection.
Four million hectares of rainforest are now unprotected
It’s not only the populations of Indigenous peoples who live in these PIACI reserves that are in danger, but the rainforest as well. As mentioned, this bill will encourage environmentally destructive activities such as logging and illegal mining, threatening the biodiversity in these four million hectares of PIACI territory.
We need to continue supporting Indigenous Peoples in their fight for survival. Here are some more emergencies facing Indigenous Peoples and local communities right now.
Find out more about this new bill and PIACI’s law below.
Mongabay: Peru congress debates stripping isolated Indigenous people of land and protections