[QODLink]
People & Power
Amazon oil
A look at the bitter struggle between the indigenous people of Peru and the government.
Last Modified: 12 Aug 2009 11:09 GMT

Watch part two

Since he assumed power for the second time in 2006, Alan Garcia, Peru's president, has been spearheading a campaign to ease restrictions on mining, oil drilling, wood harvesting and farming in the country's northern Amazon rainforest region.

Indigenous Peruvians have been protesting that they were not consulted about new laws that could destroy their environment and their way of life.

Most of them depend on the land for survival but the contamination left by oil companies is putting their livelihood at risk.

They sight broken election promises, unconstitutional law and corruption.

When protesters met police at one demonstration on June 5, conflict was inevitable. By the end of the day, at least 33 people were dead, 23 of them police.

Fernando Lucena reports on the clash of cultures and ideologies in the Amazon. 

This episode of People & Power can be seen from Wednesday, August 12, 2009, at the following times GMT: Wednesday: 0600, 1230; Thursday: 0130, 1400, 1930; Friday: 0630, 1630; Saturday: 0330, 2030; Sunday: 0030, 0530. 
Source:
Al Jazeera
Featured on Al Jazeera
More and more people in the US are living in poverty - yet Mitt Romney's policies would further shred the safety net.
As the anniversary of the uprising nears, the country's rulers are denying foreigners entry and hiring PR firms.
Under Obama, six whistleblowers have been charged under the World War I-era Espionage Act.
Journalist who recently spent time with fighters says there is no central leadership to the armed resistance.
<  > 
join our mailing list

Enter Zip Code
Go