Alert from Siwín Persists: Achuar Delegation Arrives in Lima to Demand State Response
By Lorena Mendoza
Lima, Peru. – This week, a delegation from the Achuar Nation of Peru is in Lima to hold meetings with State entities, demanding urgent healthcare assistance and reparations for the families of the Native Community of Siwín. Since January of this year, at least 11 people from the community—suffering from high fevers, skin rashes, and other symptoms—have died. Siwín is located in the Pastaza River basin.
Despite numerous letters sent by the Achuar Nation Federation of Peru (FENAP), the Indigenous Federation of the Upper Pastaza (FIAPP), allied organizations, and the office of Congresswoman Ruth Luque, the Executive Branch has yet to fulfill its commitment to convene a multisectoral meeting through the Presidency of the Council of Ministers (PCM), originally scheduled for May 26–28. Instead, only bilateral meetings with some entities have taken place—offering no comprehensive responses or concrete solutions.
At a meeting held on May 27, the Datem del Marañón Health Network reported that it had provided medical care to two communities affected by the oil spill that occurred in October 2024. However, during that meeting—with participation from FENAP, the Sacred Headwaters team, and other allies—the Health Network admitted it had not returned to the area to conduct proper follow-up. The deaths of adults and children in 2025 occurred months after GERESA and Petroperú concluded their interventions; these individuals received no care, and no steps were taken to investigate the causes of their deaths. The State owes a debt to their families and communities. In the first quarter of the year, contaminants were found in a lagoon adjacent to Siwín, after OEFA had already closed the case. All signs indicate that the toxic waste was not completely removed, and that, due to the rising rivers from heavy rainfall in January and again in April 2025, the contamination spread beyond the initial remediation area.
This situation is extremely serious. Although GERESA and Petroperú have issued statements denying responsibility, families remain exposed and without medical attention. There is an urgent need for an effective health intervention, including specialized care for those still showing symptoms, as well as blood tests to precisely determine the cause of the harm.
In response to this alarming situation, Jacob Espinar, president of FIAPP, filed a new complaint supported by photographic evidence taken in 2025 that shows ongoing contamination around the community of Siwín. The Achuar people demand immediate answers and real action from the State to address this ongoing environmental health crisis that continues to claim lives.
Photos: Indigenous Federation of the Upper Pastaza (FIAPP)