In 1998, Peru and Ecuador settled a long running border dispute in the Cordillera del Cndor

mountain range that had killed and wounded dozens on both sides in 1995 In addition to
pledging renewed cooperation on deciding the !inal placement o! the border, the agreement " the
#cta Presidencial de $rasilia "stipulated the need to create and update mechanisms to %lead to
economic and social de&elopment and strengthen the cultural identit' o! nati&e populations, as
well as aid the conser&ation o! biological biodi&ersit' and the sustainable use o! the ecos'stems
o! the common border( )* #lcalde et al, %Peace Parks in the Cordillera del Cndor *ountain
+ange and $iodi&ersit' Conser&ation Corridor,( ECSP Report, Issue 11, ,--5, p ./0
1ocated on the eastern slopes o! the Ecuatorial #ndes, the area is a recognized global biodi&ersit'
hotspot with large areas o! pristine montane habitat In 199/23, Conser&ation International led a
biodi&ersit' assessment trip to the area and identi!ied dozens o! species new to science 4heir
report noted the %spectacular( biodi&ersit' o! the area, and its ke' role in the h'drological c'cle
linking the #ndes with the #mazon 1ong seen b' neotropical biologists as being in the top tier
o! areas !or priorit' biodi&ersit' protection, scientists recommended that a biodi&ersit' reser&e be
established to protect the area )Conser&ation International, %4he Cordillera del Cndor +egion o!
Ecuador and Peru5 # $iological #ssessment,( +#P 6orking Papers 7, )6ashington 8C5 CI,
19970, 9
http5::wwwconser&ationorg:8ocuments:+#P;+eports:+#P-7;Cordillera;Condor;Ecuador2
Peru;<an21997pd!=0 4he #cta Presidencial de $rasilia that ended the con!lict between Peru and
Ecuador committed both sides to establishing e>tensi&e ecological protection reser&es on both
sides o! the border " a peace park o! sorts was born
$ut now, indigenous communities in Peru are accusing the Peru&ian go&ernment o! reneging on
those promises to allow e>tracti&e industries e>tensi&e access to the area 4he' charge that the
go&ernment relented to mining interests to chop the size o! the protected area in the Cordillera del
Cndor in order to allow gold mining acti&ities in biologicall' sensiti&e areas o! the Cndor
region #s well, indigenous groups claim that the Peru&ian go&ernment is &iolating promises
made to include indigenous peoples in the go&ernance and management o! the area Indigenous
groups !ear that e>tracti&e industries in the area could threaten both the biodi&ersit' and the
ecological integrit' o! the !orests and streams that the' rel' upon !or their li&elihood sur&i&al
4he' detail these charges in a new report, Peru5 # Chronicle o! 8eception 9
http5::wwwiwgiaorg:graphics:?'nkron2
1ibrar':8ocuments:publications:8ownloadpublications:$ooks:#@,-Chronicle@,-o!
@,-8eceptionpd! = and in a new &ideo documentar' %#mazonia !or ?ale( 9
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xcdem0_amazonia-for-sale_news>.
Care!ull' managing e>tracti&e acti&ities was a ke' priorit' !or Peru and Ecuador when the'
negotiated an end to their border dispute # management plan !or the area with strong protection
!or ke' biodi&ersit' areas was supposed to ensure e&er'oneAs interests Bowe&er, PeruCs current
president, #lan Darcia, has been aggressi&e in promoting e>tracti&e industries in Peru, to the
point o! inciting signi!icant popular opposition among man' indigenous peoples )E>!am
#merica, Mining Conflicts In Peru: Condition Critical, 2009 <
http://!o"fa#a#erica!org/pu$lications/#ining%conflicts%in%peru%condition%critical& 1ess
than a 'ear ago, protests o&er oil e>ploration in #mazonian lowlands cit' o! $agua, killed and
wounded dozens o! Peru&ians 4his &iolence !ollowed 'ears o! social con!lict o&er mining
de&elopment in multiple communities in PeruAs #ndean highlands 6hile small gains were made
in Peru earlier this decade to !ind wa's to resol&e e>tracti&e disputes, DarciaAs strong promotion
o! the e>tracti&e sector in the !ace o! indigenous opposition like we currentl' see in the Cordillera
del Cndor region suggests 'ears o! con!rontations to come