The president of the Autonomous Territorial Government of the Wampís Nation (GTANW) in Peru on Feb. 17 denounced the use of local children as "human shields" to protect illegal mining activities and demanded the declaration of a state of emergency in the northern Amazon region.

The Wampis Indigenous Nation has more than 10,000 inhabitants. In 2015, the nation formed its Autonomous Territorial Government to manage and protect the territory, which covers lowland rainforest across the Santiago/Kanus and Morona/Kankaim river basins in the northern Peruvian Amazon. Peru is the leading producer of gold, zinc, tin, lead and molybdenum in Latin America. However, long-term illegal mining, principally of gold, has posed significant threats to the environment and human rights.

Teófilo Kukush Pati, president of the Wampis Indigenous Nation, said that when the police and armed forces carry out interdictions at mining sites, illegal miners forcibly gather community children between five and 10 years old to defend their operations. The leader also reported that the illegal mining outfits threaten to kill opponents.

Pati stressed that the mercury produced by illegal mining in the Santiago River basin contaminates waters, which local communities depend on for fishing and drinking.

The statement came as Pati arrived in Lima to meet with the government's high commissioner for the fight against illegal mining, and called for the declaration of a state of emergency in the Santiago River basin to evict the illegal miners.

Although natural resources and the environment are protected under Peru's constitution, current enforcemet measures are not sufficient, Pati asserted.

From JURIST, Feb. 18. Used with permission.