New SOSOrinoco Report
A Unfolding Socio-environmental Catastrophe in Venezuelan Amazonia/Guayana
Executive Summary
- The Caura region, which includes natural monuments Ichum Guanacoco, Guaiquinima, Sierra Maigualida, and the Jaua-Sarisariñama National Park, now interconnected through the recently decreed Caura National Park (former Caura Forest Reserve), covers an area of more than 76,500 km2, which totally or partially covers the Caura, Ventuari, Paragua, Cuchivero and Aro river basins. This is an area almost the size of Scotland (77,910 km2), and larger than Belgium (30,689 km2), the Netherlands (41,543 km2), or Denmark (42,933 km2). Equivalent to the surface of the state of Apure (76,500 km2) in Venezuela.
- This vast territory is, without a doubt, a singular geographic space, unique in the world, due to its incomparable mosaic of natural and cultural diversity, which must be conserved and protected from extractivist policies and actions. It is undoubtedly one of the most important protected areas in the Amazon / Guyana and the Greater Amazon.
|
|
|
|
Map of Caura National Park
|
|
|
Area included by the Caura National Park decree, in relation to other protected areas that it overlaps.
|
|
|
Areas under intervention within the space covered by the Caura NP decree (outer green polygon) and the most obvious mining sites. Note the overlap on an Arco Minero "block" to the north. The irregular green curves within the quadrilaterals of the natural monuments indicate the 800 m altitude contour curve and within the quadrilateral of the Jaua Sarisariñama National Park, indicate the 1000 m contour curve.
|
|
|
|
Pará Falls, Caura National Park, Bolívar, Venezuela
- The special combination of natural and cultural heritages are at the heart of the Caura's values and highlight its uniqueness. There, cultural and natural diversity coexist in a delicate balance that must be recognized, understood, respected and protected. Twelve native indigenous groups live there and have Caura National Park as their indispensable habitat
|
|
|
|
Deforestation in Caura National Park (comparison 2016 vs 2020)
|
|
- The irresponsible promotion of mining in the southern Venezuela carried out by the State has instigated and emboldened the illegal exploitation of gold in the Caura basin. Reports of conflicts between its inhabitants, and of these with foreign miners, are increasingly frequent, as a result of the struggle for control of access to mineral resources. This has resulted in violence and extortion being the control mechanisms for almost every activity carried out in the region, both by the miners and the organizations that support them by providing security and supply of resources.
- Although the impact of mining to the Caura NP has been relatively small in terms of surface area - some 631 ha - the social and cultural impacts are extremely significant and serious, because they have upset the social balance, generating a rupture of the social fabric of all the communities that live there, and consequently have generated an unprecedented socio-environmental catastrophe, which must be stopped and reversed.
|
|
|
Inhumane conditions in the illegal mines | Photo: Fritz Sanchez
- Mining in Caura NP is controlled fundamentally by armed paramilitary groups (FARC-D and ELN) and is made possible by omission and ineffectiveness of the Venezuelan regime through its Bolivarian National Armed Forces
- Disappearances, murders, extortion, prostitution, diseases and contaminated water are the mainstays of the "mining boom" promoted by the regime. The breakdown of socio-environmental balances, the destruction of biodiversity, and a "new social and economic order" based on the establishment of terror and crime are the visible consequences of a catastrophe that must be dealt with urgently.
- The future of the region as an invaluable reference in terms of the integration of its sociocultural and natural diversities will depend on the recognition and adequate understanding of these values as an intrinsic characteristic of a Venezuelan identity, which, to be effectively defended, must be designed and agreed upon. In general, appropriate and viable governance and sustainability models and mechanisms must be established and implemented for the country. But this will only be possible under a government that respects the rule of law.
- Much more information, maps and photos are available in the complete report (Spanish version only) downloadable here
|
|
|
- "Venezuela's Amazon: From Beauty to Beast" | The Americas Society/Council Of the Americas will hold a one-on-one conversation with Cristina Burelli, an internationally known advocate for the Venezuelan Amazon on Wednesday July 7, 2021 at 10amEST Broadcast here (no registration needed)
- Documentary "El Arco Minero: Ecocide or Suicide?" has been selected as a FINALIST at the Yale Environment 360 Video Contest annual contest.
|
|
|
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
- Visit the www.SOSOrinoco.org website
- Follow us on @SOSOrinoco Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates and news and use #SOSOrinoco
- Join/sign our petition to UNESCO to include Canaima World Heritage Site on the World Heritage Site in Danger List
- Write to us with ideas, send us testimonials, photos, information
- Volunteer: if you would like to help, please tell us how and we’ll be happy to enlist you in this important endeavor
|
|
Copyright ©2021 SOSOrinoco, All rights reserved.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.
|
|
|
|
|
