We share below the letter sent by Acción Ecológica thanking all the support received from the international level. We emphasize that, even though Acción Ecológica is still open, the legislation that allowed two Ministries to ask for its closure it is still valid.
We know that Acción Ecológica will not give up its commitment to the defense of the rights of communities and nature in order to ensure the preservation of a healthy environment and achieve the rights of good living. Therefore, the risk for Acción Ecológica remains latent. At any moment the government may again and unjustly allude that the organization is not following its statutes or reiterate its accusation that Acción Ecológica incites violence. That is why we will remain alert to any news or need to reactivate actions at the international level.
At the same time, conflicts in the Cordillera del Cóndor, in Shuar territory, still persist. Much remains to be done to curb the abuses of transnational extractive companies over indigenous and peasant territories, and the role of Acción Ecológica in Ecuador is fundamental to this process.
We want to publicly acknowledge the thousands of letters, embraces and messages that we have received from every corner of the world. We have, indeed, received an answer that for many, was unexpected: the Ecuadorean government has desisted in its intent to close Acción Ecoloógica.
We have known (between you and us) how to defend our right to solidarity, to participation, and to denounce the aggressions against nature. Even though it might seem strange to celebrate this, we do, because the risk of losing those rights approached, and it was terrifying.
Our defense of nature might be uncomfortable for groups of power, and to the transnational companies, and perhaps especially to the Chinese, as their companies are present in all of our national territory with their extractive projects and construccion of megainfraestructure But we recognize that our organization is also profoundly loved and respected by communities and individuales with whom we have worked. And put in the balanece, their lack of comfort on the one hand, and the love and respect on the other, the latter weighs more.
We live in a country marked by socio-environmental conflicts, oil exploitation in areas such as the Yasuní, mining in the Cordillera del Cóndor, and agrofuels in our dry and tropical forests. With such assault to territories, custodians of nature have called on us to participate, to be in solidarity, and to denounce such aggressions. We will continue to do so, with our intellectual and political support, with our presence in the streets, and through the construction of shared work – in order to confront the different causes and forms of aggressions against nature.
In accordance with our vision and mission, we commit to continue working so that the intelligence respects the Earth, and so that the Earth can sustain humanity.
We thank all of you for being there, and for giving life to and amplifying our voice, and for touching us with your loving drumbeats of peace, with justice and dignity.
ACCION ECOLOGICA
Together we are the inextinguishable fever, the little light that leads, and the expanse that crosses the night.
