Germana Carillo In July, the number of indigenous leaders murdered in Peru rose to 35 and, faced with the Government's continued ineffectiveness, the Shipibo and Kakataibo peoples are now trying to protect themselves and defend their territories from drug trafficking, mining illegal and other threats
Illegal mining and drug trafficking are just some of the hundreds of violent episodes that indigenous populations in the Peruvian Amazon face daily. To combat this, the indigenous guards, or “guardias indígenas”, have been established to defend native peoples.
But the problem? Indigenous leaders are being brutally murdered, with deaths often linked to illegal activities such as mining and logging. This has led the Shipibo and Kakataibo communities, natives of Loreto and Ucayali, to demand government recognition for their indigenous guards. Guards from 24 bases of the Shipibo and Kakataibo indigenous peoples, members of the Asháninka delegation for Amazon Indigenous Security (SIA), are now seeking official status from the State.
“We are ready to continue fighting for what is ours, for our territories. Now, we are more and must continue expanding the struggle to defend what is ours,” said Marco Tulio Guimaraes, commander of the Shipibo-Konibo-Xetebo people’s guard, during the Second International Meeting of Indigenous Guards.
In line with this, they are considering forming alliances with political forces, promoting a new law on Amazon Indigenous Security, and encouraging the participation of indigenous women in the guards.
Why indigenous peoples are seeking self-protection
The emergence of indigenous guards comes in response to a lack of protection and extreme vulnerability faced by leaders of indigenous communities in regions such as Ucayali, Loreto, and San Martín, where illegal economies threaten their safety and territories.
As a reminder, in July of this year, the death of Kakataibo leader Mariano Isacama was reported, bringing the number of defenders killed in Peru to 35. As a result, many communities in the Amazon have chosen to seek self-protection and are now pursuing legal recognition.
