Quest for Peace - Ecuador

Press Release from Andean Indigenous Organizations

Tue, 18 Jul 2006 15:20:14 -0400

Press Release

Five Hundred official delegates from the following groups: ECUARANI (Ecuador), CONACAMI (Peru), CONAMAQ (Bolivia), ONIC (Colombia), and CITEM (Chile are participating in the First Congress of the Andean Coordinating Committee of Indigenous of Indigenous Organizations (Quechua, Kichwa, Aymara, Mapuche)

Ecuador seeks to unite the Andean countries at upcoming CAN meeting

Mon, 12 Jun 2006 11:44:25 -0400

Associated Press June 3, 2006

QUITO - The Chancellor responsible for the next regional presidential conference, to be held in Quito next week, says that Ecuador will use the meetings to seek to preserve Andean integration..

Quechuan communities for the solidarity of all the poor

Wed, 24 May 2006 11:09:45 -0400

Quechuan communities demand the nationalization of Ecuador’s natural energy resources

Canar, May 20, 2006

On the last day of the second Quechuan convention inside the “plenary”, each group presented its basic conclusions for revision and analysis of the last six months of work. Of the initiatives discussed, several basic points were emphasized: Communities stressed the need to pressure the central government on behalf of the country’s poor and the Quechuan villages to nationalize energy resources, including petroleum, hydrocarbons, electricity, telecommunication, and mining. Likewise, villages should promote the nationalization and necessary protection to prevent the inequitable privatization of other natural resources such as water, forests, and others that are in indigenous territories. All decisions regarding these must first be negotiated with the towns and communities at stake. We need to remain attentive regarding the free trade agreement, because it is totally possible that the United States government could reopen negotiations with an eventual signing of the accord. The termination of the Occidental Petroleum contract represents a victory, but also requires that we pay special attention to oversee the administration of PETROECUADOR resources and profits.

In response to the the Palacio government’s brutal repression during the protests in March, which resulted in deaths and injuries, leaving many handicapped, the Quechuan communities in this II congress propose that charges be brought against the Palacio government and that immediate compensation be demanded.

Statement from EU-Latin American Unions and Civil Society Working Group

Mon, 22 May 2006 16:23:46 -0400

REGARDING THE IV SUMMIT OF HEADS OF
STATE AND GOVERNMENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

US loses interest in FTA with Ecuador

Mon, 22 May 2006 15:54:37 -0400

The chances for a short term conclusion to trade negotiations between the U.S. and Ecuador were handed a major setback last week, when the national government decided to revoke its operating contract with Occidental Petroleum and seize $1 Billion of its assets. This action was taken after the energy ministry ruled that the company had acted improperly when it transferred 40% interest in its oil fields to EnCana, a Canadian oil company.

Ecuador FTA Update

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 15:56:09 -0400

The negotiations with the US on an FTA have not yet been concluded, due to several issues yet to be resolved. The government of Ecuador has been continuing to a positive spin on the situation, claiming there was a possibility of closure during the next potential round in mid-May.

Just How Far Will The Government Go?

Mon, 10 Apr 2006 12:58:33 -0400

[Versión español]

They murder students and are slaves to the petroleum companies

National Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador

From the front page of CONAIE April 7, 2006

The confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador condemns the assassination of the student Jhonny Mostesdeoca, which happened yesterday in Cuenca. We express our grief and solidarity to his family. We Ecuadorians cannot tolerate this regime which is brutally repressing the indigenous movement, the student movement and everyone who attempts to defend the dignity and solidarity of the country. How can Alfredo Palacio and his racist spokesperson, Enrique Proaño justify this crime? Will they continue to lie as they have been all along? Is their subservience to the United Status and their own private businesses worth more to them than the death and serious damage they have caused to dozens of patriots?

New threats for an Amazon Strike

Sat, 8 Apr 2006 13:20:08 -0400

Ecuador National Politics April 8, 2006

New threats for an Amazon Strike

Ecuadorian Indigenous Regional Assembly demands an immediate cancellation of Occidental’s contract. One of the resolutions reached at a Regional Assembly, held on the 6^th and 7^th of April in Nueva Loja (Sucumbíos) was to give an ultimatum to the Minister of Energy and Mines, Ivan Rodriguez. If he doesn’t announce by the 20^th of April the cancellation of the Contract with Occidental Petroleum, the provinces of Napo, Pastaza, Zamora, Morona, Orellana and Sucumbios will be immediately and indefinitely paralyzed.

FTA Brief Update

Fri, 7 Apr 2006 17:43:09 -0400

The US has been negotiating for almost 2 years a trade agreement with 3 Andean countries (Peru, Colombia and Ecuador). The agreement is very similar to the highly questioned CAFTA agreement. They had hoped that all three countries would cave in to all of their demands and agree to the US agenda. But it has been much more complicated. Here are the latest updates from the region.

Ecuador: A Country in a "State of Emergency"

Fri, 7 Apr 2006 15:40:51 -0400

[Versión español]

From a country where the government has declared a "State of Emergency" during the day, and "state of siege" in the night, both part of the same decree, which has been declared on two occasions in less than 8 months of the Palacios Government, due to what the ministers and the president of Ecuador have called "national chaos".

FENOCIN Farmers Stage New Protests

Thu, 6 Apr 2006 17:15:11 -0400

The Federation of Farmers, Indigenous and Black Organizations (FENOCIN) is on Thursday April 6, 2006 staging new protests against the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US in Quito.

FENOCIN leader Pedro de la Cruz said the movement is rallying at the Congress and Executive headquarters to denounce the government´s hostile position and buck that deal´s signing.

Ecuador Law on Oil Halts FTA

Tue, 4 Apr 2006 17:21:50 -0400

Quito, Apr 4 (Prensa Latina) — The Ecuadorian hydrocarbon law reform stopped negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement with the United States, putting the Ecuadorian government under pressure.

Congressional approval of legislation Thursday to redistribute oil profits due to the high oil prices, did not please Washington.

Ecuador on the side of CONAIE - the government with their 100 businesspeople

Tue, 21 Mar 2006 16:24:01 -0500

[Press statement from The Nations and Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador]

The Nations and Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador reject the arrogant attitude of President Palacio who continues to repress and impede our brothers and sisters from getting to Quito.

CONAIE Press Statement, March 21 2006

Mon, 20 Mar 2006 16:28:01 -0500

The National Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador speaks to national and international public opinion to say the following:

The Nationalities and Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador have been mobilized since the 13^th of March in the three regions of the country. We have suffered repression from the government and dozens of our compañeros have been injured some of them very seriously. This violence is completely unjustified, because our compañeros have been acting in a peaceful manner, exercising their constitutional rights.