Oil prospection and exploitation is one of the most destructive activities affecting tropical forests and local communities worldwide. He are happy to announce that -at last- something positive has happened in Ecuador, where the Government has issued two decrees declaring the territory of Tagarei (773,220 hectares) and the zone of Imuya in Cuyabeno (435,000 hectares) as protected areas in perpetuity.
These decrees are particularly important for the future of a non contacted Huaorani indigenous community living in the forests of one of those area and for Cofan, Quichua and Siona indigenous communities living in the other. The decrees imply the banning in perpetuity of oil or other mineral extraction. We congratulate the Ecuadorian government for this political decision and we urge this and all governments to ban oil and other mineral exploitation in all protected areas in the world.
Source: Oilwatch, 5/2/99.