Ecuador’s El Comercio newspaper reported today that the indigenous territory of Sarayaku, Ecuador, is surrounded by 467 pits each containing three kilos of dynamite. The explosives were left by the Argentine oil company Compañia General de Combustibles (CGC), which has the concession to explore for oil in Block 23, including Sarayaku. CGC started exploration three years ago, but during most of that time activities were suspended due to opposition from the Kichwa communities of Sarayaku. Until now, there had been no information about the explosives buried in the area.

Last month, CGC accused the residents of Sarayaku of stealing explosives. Sarayaku leaders responded with indignation, pointing out that in fact CGC had left the explosives in their territory and calling on the government to hire independent experts to safely remove the material.

According to El Comercio, until last Friday, no one knew for sure the quantity or type of explosives in the area. Jorge Granco and Roberto Biasone, specialists hired by the government, have informed the Sarayaku leadership of the danger, and have advised them on what measures to take.                

El Comercio goes on to report:

The specialists said that the explosives were buried 20 meters underground, but that there are wires and detonators on the surface. They recommended that anyone finding such installations leave the area and inform community leaders.

However the Kichwa residents are not used to such restrictions…as the President, Hilda Santi says, they feel free in their territory, without having to worry about losing their life in an explosion.

The situation is worrisome: each family in Sarayaku has its small farm in the forest. There they grow plantains, cassava, and other products, which are their daily nourishment. Young and old go to hunt, or visit sacred lakes and rivers to fish. Now, those activities are restricted.

The shaman Sabino Gualinga says that underground explosions scare the animals out of the forest. The birds will go elsewhere, and the snakes will leave their nests. He insists, “With the destruction of the forest, our soul is erased and we cease to be indigenous people.”

Another elder, Jorge Malaver, explains that in the forest each lake has its power, just like the trees that take hundreds of years to grow…

The Government also has an interest in resolving this problem. Last Friday, representatives of the Ministries of Government, Energy, Environment and Foreign Affairs, the Armed Forces and Attorney General attended a meeting in Sarayaku.

They agreed that the Government will pay for the removal of the material. The people will decide between two alternatives, taking into account their cosmovision: the first, and cheapest, is a controlled explosion. The second is to add mineral salts to the explosives to deteriorate them. This process can last 6-18 months.

At the meeting they also discussed that matter of Precautionary Measures issued in favor of Sarayaku by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on July 4, 2004.

Meanwhile, the representative of CGC [in Ecuador], Ricardo Nicolas, reiterated that the explosives were abandoned due to constant attacks by Sarayaku residents on the oil camps and workers. [CGC] has pressed charged relating to the [alleged] robbery of 150 kilograms of dynamite, among other equipment.

Nicolas complained that the government, for nine years, has not fulfilled its part of the concession contract. That contract requires the state to guarantee security for the seismic exploration in Block 23.

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Statement of Mario Melo, attorney with the Quito-based Center for Economic and Social Rights, and Legal Advisor to Sarayaku.

The Government must give the community of Sarayaku the studies and maps which allow a precise location of the explosives. It is welcome that government representatives have met with the leaders to decide this matter. Nevertheless it is not solely a technical matter, rather we must keep in mind what this land represents for the shamans and leaders of the community. If we can make a comparison, it is as if a stranger comes into your house, buries explosives, and then asks you to decide whether to detonate them or throw salt on them. The Government must assume the costs of removal of the dynamite so that the people of Sarayaku can live in peace.