By Lorena Mendoza Egúsquiza
This week, AIDESEP celebrates 46 years of struggle in defense of the peoples and nations of the Peruvian Amazon. As half a century of work draws closer, the resilience of this organization is the result of decades of sustained effort by different leaderships and technical teams who, together, have been building an important part of the history of Indigenous governance in the country.
The challenge in the Amazon is arduous and heartbreaking. Defending territorial rights and standing alongside voices whose freedoms are increasingly limited requires strength and determination. Since 2020 alone, at least 35 human rights defenders have been murdered for opposing illegal activities such as land trafficking, deforestation, illegal mining, and oil exploitation, while many more continue to face threats and violence from social conflicts that directly affect Indigenous peoples. The danger is not only faced by communities, but also by the Indigenous organizations that represent them, while few government voices demonstrate real commitment. Even more troubling is the fact that few institutions implement effective measures to safeguard their lives and the rights of these peoples.
And the struggle is not only taking place in the territory, but also in the legal and political sphere. Over the past years, social and political upheaval has favored interests that weaken the collective rights of Indigenous peoples, such as the right to prior consultation, the right to territory, and the ongoing criminalization of Indigenous reserves protected under the PIACI framework. This is without counting the rights that continue to make access to a dignified life in the Amazon increasingly distant: access to healthcare, education, and government recognition of the legal personality of Indigenous governance systems and other forms of Indigenous self-governance.
The road is long, and Amazonian leaders know it. AIDESEP, together with its nine regional bases, will not stop working for the common good of the peoples, communities, and families they represent. Remaining united, through Indigenous peoples’ own ancestral forms of organization, has been key to the work of this organization.
We celebrate the courage of each and every Indigenous leader who contributes their strength to AIDESEP’s work, along with itss technical teams and allies, continuing to build unity and move toward the construction of Buen Vivir in harmony with Mother Nature.
From our Alliance, we wish AIDESEP a happy 46th anniversary!