Invasions of Coca Farmers Threaten Protected Areas and Isolated Tribes

December 2019: An article by UAC’s Chris Fagan discusses a massive invasion of coca farmers in the Urubamba watershed that threatens indigenous lands, protected areas and the isolated tribes who live there. 

Article Summary: Remote tributaries of Peru’s Urubamba watershed are being invaded by farmers from VRAEM, Peru’s largest cocaine producing region. Lands are being cleared for farms in forestry concessions in the buffer zone of the Alto Purús National Park and near three reserves for isolated tribes.

In October, UAC documented 73 new, illegal farms along the Sepahua River to within 10 km of the Park and on the migratory route of the Mashco-Piro isolated tribe. Satellite imagery show numerous new clearings since then. Government authorities have not responded to the crisis, and local Amahuaca, Yine and other tribespeople are living in fear as their traditional homelands are destroyed by armed outsiders.

See the full article in English here.

Ver la version completa en Español aquí.

Also, hear UAC’s Chris Fagan discuss the investigation on Mongabay’s podcast here.

New deforestation, Sepahua River.

Sepahua Community Vigilance Committee Coordinator, Pascual Miqueas Murayori (right).

Expedition team members, Sepahua River.

Farmer in his newly cleared farm.

The Intercultural Native Community Flor de Cantayo on the upper Mapuya River.

Drone photograph showing hidden new clearings 2 km from the river.

Photos and video by UAC partner, Jason Houston.