The protest at the Pluspetrol airport, which has effectively shut down all flights in and out, follows the occupation last month of the largest oil production well in Peru by members of Achuar and Kichwa tribal groups, reports Peru This Week.
The indigenous communities, who live in the jungle along the Pastaza River in the Peruvian state of Loreto, say that they need to be compensated 8 million Peruvian soles (about $US 2.5 million) for use and contamination of their tribal lands and waters.
Pluspetrol, on the other hand, claims that the protests have already cost them over 87,000 barrels of oil.
On January 26th, over 400 natives from the area stormed the Jibarito Pluspetrol base, the largest oil block in Peru, effectively shutting it down in a series of protests and occupations that define the ongoing stand-off between the Argentine company and indigenous groups.
Pluspetrol has been critical of the native protests, claiming that their territory does not overlap with tribal lands and that there is a “third party” that is interested in profiting from the situation.
But the company has a dirty record in the Amazon, and last year the Peruvian government fined them almost 30 million Soles for contaminating the Yanayacu reservoir.
According to Amazon Watch, the 35 years of oil production in the area has left a legacy of malnutrition, sickness and social disruption. The local population has paid heavy costs for the profits made by these companies and has not received adequate compensation.
Although the native groups are in dialogue with Petroplus, the 100 protesters who have occupied the airport have no plans on leaving until the company pays up.
