Spearing, Beheadings Reported in Ecuador National Park

[Judi Lynn]

Source: National Geographic News

Spearing, Beheadings Reported in Ecuador National Park
Kelly Hearn in Buenos Aires, Argentina
for National Geographic News

May 5, 2008

An illegal logger has been speared to death by Amazon natives in Ecuador's Yasuní National Park, officials say.

The killing, which occurred March 4, reflects mounting tensions between natives and illegal loggers working in one of South America's most prized parks.

It also follows allegations made in February that as many as 15 Amazonian tribal members were beheaded by timber poachers in the region.

The death of the logger was confirmed by a spokesperson at the Orellana provincial police headquarters in Coca, Ecuador (see Ecuador map).





Read more: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/05/080505-amazon-tribes.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. Apparently Rafael Correa is working to get this situation under control. From the article:

~snip~
The attack took place in the rain forest of 1.9-million-acre (758,000-hectare) Yasuní park, which has been designated as a biosphere reserve by the United Nations.

Yasuní is rich in marketable trees such as cedar and contains a quarter of Ecuador's untapped oil reserves. The park is also home to Amazon natives such as the Taromenane and Tagaeri, two tribes living in voluntary isolation within the park's "untouchable zone," where logging and oil exploration are prohibited.

But loggers operate with impunity in parts of the park due to lack of enforcement, critics have charged, and violent clashes have resulted.

The murder is the most recent confrontation in Yasuní, where the government has now established a permanent military presence to stop illegal logging, a move that natives and rights groups had long demanded.

We've seen this going on in Brazil, as well. What a shame people won't control themselves and try to rip apart what's left of the earth's "lungs" just to make some money without having to deal with competition.

No one usually fights back, since they usually just kill everyone in their way. It must be a shock to them when they do.

[bemildred]

2. They need to give the indians better training and arms. nt

[jaksavage]

3. NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!!!

Enough eye for an eye, that is our old paradigm.

Just enforce the laws. With personnel on the ground.
World wide.

[bemildred]

4. That's what the "better training" is about.

I said nothing about "eye for an eye". The natives are motivated to protect their living space, they need training and arms to carry that out.