Oil On Their Hands
Climate Emergency
•
8m 38s
For almost half a century, Quechua, Achuar, and Kichwa communities in Northern Peruvian have suffered extreme negative environmental, health, cultural, social, and economic impacts as a result of the operations of the oil companies, Occidental Petroleum (1971-2000) and subsequently Pluspetrol (2000-2015).
Their pipelines in the Peruvian Amazon have collapsed and degraded, leaking oil and heavy metals into the land. There are more than 1,963 contamination sites. Communities are now not only fighting to protect the earth but also their health as hundreds are sick from contaminated water and food.
In 2020, indigenous leaders take their complaint to the Netherlands, where PlusPetrol transferred its headquarters in 2000. Research into its corporate structure suggests it did so to support its broader effort to avoid paying taxes in the countries where it operates.
Pluspetrol has failed to undertake adequate environmental and human rights due diligence. The complaint presented to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) in March 2020 alleges that Pluspetrol has also failed to respect several human and indigenous rights of the local population related to land, self-determination, and water and food. “We have come to the Netherlands seeking justice,” said Aurelio Chino, president of FEDIQUEP, “We hope that the OECD and the Dutch government can convince Pluspetrol to take responsibility for the terrible harm the oil industry has done to our peoples.”
This is their story.
Directo: Jaye Renold
2020 | 8 min
Peru
Languages: Spanish, English
Subtitles: English
Up Next in Climate Emergency
-
Homecoming
“If not us, who will protect our territories? Who will manage our territories?”
Indonesian Indigenous Youth called their fellow brothers living in the cities and finished their studies back to the community. They called it the ‘Homecoming movement.
Youth are driving new models of sustainable ru...
-
What About Our Future?
What About Our Future? chronicles the Sustainabiliteens, a group of young environmental activists who organized the largest strike in Vancouver's history. The film takes a unique look into the movement while the youth organize protests, pressure politicians and educate younger teens about environ...
-
Out of Plastic
Out of Plastic is a documentary film that sets out to explore the obscure depths of plastics in the Mediterranean. The film is set in the Balearic Islands, and offers viewers a moment to reflect on the profound presence of plastic in our lives and in our natural environment. The film also offers ...
