They Call Her the Woman Who Breaks Mega-Dams But She is Just Defending Her Peoples Rights to Good, Clean Water Activist, mother of 5, defender of the land and leader of Peru’s 10 000 Asháninka IP Ruth Buendía has just been awarded the Bartolome de las Casas Prize, given by the Spanish Foreign Ministry in recognition of her outstanding contribution and leadership in promoting the rights and values of her people. Members of the jury praised Buendia for her leadership skills as chairwoman of the Central Ashaninka del Rio Ene (CARE), local organization that gathers 17 indigenous communities and works to defend the rights of the Ashaninka people in her region. And boy, have they CAREd very effectively. She and her group managed to stop the construction of the Pakitzapango hydroelectric dam which would have severely affected the health of the Ene River – a crucial waterway for IP who depend on its fish resources, the fertile soils of its floodplains, and the many foods and other natural resources the forest provides. According to CARE, the dam would have blocked the passage of sediments and the migration of fish and other aquatic organisms. Following THAT decision, the Brazilian dam builder Odebrecht then announced that it was no longer interested in building the Tambo 40 Dam, another project proposed for the Ene, Tambo and Ucayali river basin. Both of these stalled dams represent a great victory for Buendia and her people who are working hard to protect their rivers and cultures. Earlier this year, Ruth was also one of the recipients of the 2014 Goldman Environmental Prize for her efforts, and, though pleased with the recognition the awards bring to her community, she is not resting on her laurels. CARE is presently developing a management plan for the Asháninka Communal Reserve that would protect their lands from future development while allowing local communities to pursue sustainable economic opportunities such as coffee and cacao farming. andina.pe/Ingles/noticia-peru%E2%80%99s-indigenous-leader-awarded-bartolome-las-casas-prize-516916.aspx?utm_content=buffere0e1f&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=buffer
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 00:14:41 +0000
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