PRESS RELEASE

URGENT: THE PUBLIC FORCE INVADES SARAYAKU TERRITORY

 The leaders of the Original Kichwa People of Sarayaku denounce that the public force (ARMY AND POLICE) have begun an attack and harassment of the inhabitants of Sarayaku, in response to the sovereign decision of the VII Congress to guarantee the protection of Assemblyman Cléver Jiménez, the journalist Fernando Villavicencio and the doctor Carlos Figueroa, persecuted by the government, despite having precautionary measures from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights IACHR.

Since yesterday, April 24, as soon as the decision to protect the three comrades was known, the public force mobilized uniformed personnel to the Río Amazonas airport in Shell Parish, to control and check the entry of the inhabitants of Sarayaku; Simultaneously, on the Canelos road and in the Bobonaza river port, the public force has begun to harass and search the inhabitants of Sarayaku who attend the VII Congress.

Today, April 25, at approximately 5:00 p.m., two helicopters landed at the mouth of the Sarayakillo River; At 7:57 p.m., another helicopter flew over the territory of Sararaku, causing panic among its inhabitants, especially children. These actions constitute a flagrant violation of the rights of the people of Sarayaku, and of the judgment of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which ruled in favor of our people, said José Gualinga, TAYAK APU (President).

As a people we ratify the sacred decision made at the VII Congress of Sarayaku and everything that happens in Sarayaku territory will be the responsibility of the President of the Republic and the government. As of this moment, the people of Sarayaku declare themselves on maximum alert and demand respect for their sovereign decisions. We are a territory of peace, we defend mother earth, human rights and nature.

We call on human rights organizations at the national and international level, in the same way that the fraternal organizations of the indigenous peoples and nationalities of Ecuador show solidarity with the just causes of the people of Sarayaku, and we ask international observers to intervene in order to avoid the aggression of which we are being victims.

 Sarayaku, April 26, 2014

 Mr. Jose Gualinga

TAYAK APU (SARAYAKU PRESIDENT)

Contacts: tayjasaruta@sarayaku.com

sarayakucommunication@gmail.com

angungualinga@hotmail.com

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