Last Friday, May 12, representatives of the Directorate of Indigenous Peoples and Initial Contact (DACI) belonging to the Vice Ministry of Interculturality of the Ministry of Culture (MINCUL) met with specialists from the Center for the Development of the Amazonian Indigenous (CEDIA) and representatives of the Regional Organization of Indigenous Peoples of the East (ORPIO) at the MINCUL facilities with the aim of joining forces to support the protection of Indigenous Peoples in Isolation and Initial Contact (PIACI) in Loreto.
Among the topics discussed were the favorable declaration granted by MINCUL in 2016 for the proposal for the Napo-Tigre Indigenous Reserve in Loreto; which will allow to start the preliminary recognition studies. They also indicated that there are previous recognition studies for four Indigenous Reserve proposals that will be addressed by the Multisectoral Commission this year: Yavarí Mirín, Yavarí Tapiche, North and South Cacataibo and Sierra del Divisor Occidental. In the case of North and South Cacataibo, this has been unanimously approved by the Multisectoral Commission; currently the start of the categorization process is awaited.
On the other hand, MINCUL is planning a macro-regional workshop in Loreto with a view to discussing the guidelines for a national PIACI protection policy. It is expected that this workshop will serve as a platform for the formation of a PIACI table in Loreto that is under the coordination of the Regional Government through the Indigenous Affairs Management, with the accompaniment of the Vice Ministry of Interculturality as the governing body and allies of civil society like CEDIA and ORPIO.
It should be noted that CEDIA has considered in the development of its projects the implementation of contingency plans for Protected Natural Areas (ANP) that overlap with the proposals for the Yavarí Tapiche and Sierra del Divisor Occidental Indigenous Reserves: Sierra del Divisor National Park and National Reserve Matsés. This in order to determine how to proceed in the face of a fortuitous event involving the PIACI, for example, sighting in the ANP. In view of this, the MINCUL indicated that it is a priority to publish these guidelines and that it has a draft to begin the preparation of contingency plans for the aforementioned ANPs.
Regarding Block 135 superimposed on the proposal of RI Yavarí Tapiche and the Sierra del Divisor National Park, MINCUL indicated that it will be important to define, together with SERNANP, the zoning of the area superimposed on said ANP so that it can have the highest category of protection. For this, they must notify Peru Petro to take the necessary protection measures given the presumed presence of PIACI in the area, in order to evaluate the continuity of the lot since it is incompatible with the purposes of both areas.
Among other issues, MINCUL mentioned that it is emphasizing the awareness of the national population about the existence of PIACI. This is manifested in the development of different activities within the framework of the PIACI Week from May 11 to 29 of this year at the MINCUL facilities. Download the program here.
CEDIA and ORPIO expressed their willingness to continue supporting and coordinating with the MINCUL in a very close way for the respect of the rights, territory and life of the PIACI in the department of Loreto.