New Camisea Pipeline Spills, Pollutes Rivers in Peru

Posted: 16 December 2005

Indigenous federations block river traffic to demand an independent environmental audit.

The Camisea gas pipeline in Peru, an Inter-American Development Bank-financed project that brings natural gas from the Peruvian Amazon to the Pacific coast of Peru, has suffered its fourth spill in only 15 months of operation. To protest this latest spill, three indigenous federations representing communities located along the Urubamba River--one of the most biologically diverse spots in both Peru and the entire world--blocked river traffic for 15 days. The groups ended their blockade on Dec. 13 after a meeting with government officials and the commercial operators of the pipeline.

Indigenous peoples’ organizations in the area of the latest spill on Nov. 24 held a press conference in the capital Lima on Dec. 2 to explain their concerns as the effects of the spill were documented by environmental groups. Similar spills have killed fish and animals, the principal source of food for indigenous communities in the Camisea region.

“The necessary attention has not been paid to the spill, which is why we are protesting,” said Walter Kategari, president of the Machiguenga Council of the Urubamba River (COMARU), on Peru’s leading radio station. “The spill occurred in the Vilcabamba Valley, on native lands that are part of the Machiguenga Reserve, which is affecting our communities.”

The other organizations at the press conference were the Central Organization of Machiguenga Native Communities (CECONAMA), and the Federation of Yine Yami Native Communities (FECONAYY)

According to estimates from OSINERG, the Peruvian government agency that regulates investment in the energy sector, as much as 6,000 barrels of gas liquids were spilled, making this the worst accident since the pipeline was inaugurated in mid-2004.

The federations have demanded that operations be suspended “until there is a guarantee” that there will be no more spills and an independent environmental audit of the pipeline is done. Among other requests, they have called for national and regional government authorities to personally inspect the zone and for a branch office of the government’s human rights ombudsman to be permanently established in the area. The Peruvian government has agreed to hire an international firm to carry out an emergency review of the pipeline within two weeks. If the operator of the pipeline, the TGP consortium which is part-owned by US company Hunt Oil, is found negligent they could be subject to fines or possibly a revocation of their operating license, according to a government spokesperson.

“In less than one year we have suffered four spills. If the problem is not addressed now, what can we expect over the next 30 years that this project will operate?” asked COMARU’s president Kategari during the radio interview.

Oxfam America has supported COMARU since 2001, promoting management of natural resources and indigenous territories, and the defense of the rights of communities with respect to impacts caused by the Camisea gas project. In addition, Oxfam America is part of a civil society coalition that promotes the application of higher environmental and social standards for the Camisea gas project. Oxfam has also encouraged the Inter-American Development Bank to follow through on conditions it placed upon the project at the time of approval, including implementing an independent monitoring system to track social and environmental impacts.

“There were many serious concerns regarding the environment and respect for the rights of indigenous peoples prior to project approval,” said Ian Gary, policy advisor for Oxfam America. “This led the US Export-Import Bank to decline finance for the project on environmental grounds. With this fourth spill, the Inter-American Development Bank needs to redouble its efforts to ensure compliance with loan conditions and should take this experience on board as it develops its policies on indigenous peoples and the environment.”