Hi , This is Qorianka …
I recently visited Achuar communities in the northern Peruvian rainforest.
and now my Achuar Friends have come to Los Angeles to make a major announcement regarding Occidental Petroleum (Oxy), the Los Angeles-based company which holds oil drilling rights to the Achuar’s rainforest homelands in Peru. Currently, they are asking Oxy to remediate the billions of barrels of toxic waste it dumped on their rainforest homelands over 30 years and to leave the new drilling concessions. Oxy also holds rights to new drilling concessions on other parts of Achuar territory (concession blocks 64, 101, and 103) covering 6.3 million acres of some of the largest areas of intact primary tropical rainforest anywhere in the world. The Achuar have been fighting to protect their rainforest home land and their rights in the face of oil “development” for more than three decades. One part of their lands, former Oxy concession 1AB, has already been devastated by oil-related contamination. Local communities now face a public health crisis with a recent government report revealing dangerous concentrations of lead and cadmium in blood samples taken from the Achuar. Another neighboring area of Achuar lands, covering pristine primary tropical rainforests, is now threatened by new drilling concessions held by Oxy, Amerada Hess and ConocoPhillips, issued by the Peruvian government against the Achuar’s clearly-stated wishes. The press conference in LA marks the latest leg of the Achuar’s speaking tour of the U.S., visiting New York, Washington D.C., San Francisco and Houston, in a bid to persuade the oil industry to respect the Achuars’ wishes and stay out of their rainforest territories. It also comes just over a month after a historic victory by the Achuar against Pluspetrol, the Argentine-company that took over Oxy’s former concession. As part of that landmark agreement, the dumping, which continues to this day, is due to be phased out over the next 18 months. The deal was struck with Pluspetrol and the Peruvian government after 800 Achuar peacefully blockaded a Pluspetrol facility for two weeks in October, bringing oil production to a standstill. Several Achuar leaders, including Mr. Payma Carijano, and their lawyer, Ms. la Torre, now face criminal charges arising out of that peaceful protest in a move which human rights advocates have condemned as setting a disturbing precedent against the right to peaceful protest in Peru and which has flagged doubts about the commitment to democracy of the administration of recently-elected President Alan García….

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About me:
DEZ 6TH , 11 pm. We just finished our press and fundraising event here in LA…. together with Amazon Watch….and 3 Amazing Achuar Leaders and Elders from the remote northern peruvian Amazon … We originally were planning to celebrate the Achuars recent landmark agreement with Plus Petroll…but….. !!!!!!!!!! unexpectedly ,today we had a 2dn GREAT Victory to announce… ! Los Angeles based Oxidental Petrolium , one of the Biggest Poluters in the entire Amazon , just anounced that they are pulling out entirely out of the Peruvian Amazon …never to return… I guess with the Achuars recent Victory things got to shacky for them… just when they were planing several hundert oil wells in various prestine rainforrest regions !!!!!!! we congratulate them and are thrilled to be celebrating this 2nd victory with the Achuar and Amazon Watch at our event !!!!!! but while I applaud Oxidental Petrolium’s decision to withdraw entirely from the Peruvian Amazon , and finaly respect the the Achuars Rights ……. I want to remind OXY that we will hold them accountable for the billions of barrels of toxic waste they dumped . 35 long years of their corporate greed have left behind severe health and environmental problems. They are NOT OF THE HOOK ! we are working on holding OXY accountable for all the toxic waste they have yet to clean up in Block 1AB …and our struggle is far from over. It is such a amazing honor to use my VOICE to speak out on behalf of the Achuar . It takes tremendous Courage to stand up against multinational oil companies and lead a peacefull , diplomatic but firm protest …..paralyzing more than 50% of all oil production in Peru ! thats what the Achuar federation did …..I am so Proud of their achievements ! The Achuar have set an example through their dedication, courage , and diplomatic approach in their negotiations with Plus petrol …. to achieved this historic agreement with PlusPetrol and the Peruvian Government is a true Victory !! However while we celebrate such victories we have to stay alert to upcoming challenges… A dozen Achuar leaders and their legal team now face criminal charges arising out of that peaceful protest !!!!! I am working closely with Amazon Watch and in partnership with the Achuar to ensure that these victories we celebated tonight ,are lasting ones … We must pressure Oxy to not only to make good on their promise to leave Peru, but also to promote higher environmental and human rights standards among their partner companies who remain in Peru and to take responsibility for their Toxic legacy and the enviromental and Health Impacts their Greed caused during 30 years of opperations in Peru. If you fell inspired and want to help us , please visit : http://WWW.AMAZONWATCH.ORG AND SIGN OUR URGENT ACTION LETTER !

I WILL SOON POST PICTURES AND MAYBE SOME VIDEOS OF OUR EVENT on MYSPACE and youtube… love, Q”orianka ********************************************************************************************************************************

I think it is wonderful that you are so active in these area’s of life, keep up the good work and I look forward to see yur new movie. Mayhaps a documentry on such world issues done in a true Hollywood fashion would bring things to light to those who do not believe it to a serious as it is, thanks you William Cameron