Peru's National Protected Areas Service (SERNANP) is calling upon residents in Madre de Dios region to avoid contact with indigenous rainforest dwellers in "voluntary isolation"—often refered to as "uncontacted"—after a confrontation with one such band on the Río Yanayacu in Manu national park on Oct. 14. SERNANP secretary general Carlos Soria Dall'Orso said a group of park rangers was on patrol in an outboard motor boat when they spotted the band of some 20—men, women, children and elders—walking on the riverbank. A released video taken from the boat show the band slowly reacting to the rangers' presence, eventually throwing stones at them, and then firing one arrow—at which point the boat speeds off and the video abruptly ends. One ranger was lightly injured—but the band was clearly just trying to scare the rangers off, as the fired arrow had no point. The band is believed to belong to the Mashcopiro people, a sub-group of the Matsiguenga. SERNANP expressed concern for the health and well-being of the isolated bands if they are contacted by outsiders, and noted an incident in May in which one such band was photographed from a boat by park visitors. (RPP, Oct. 17; El Comercio, May 25)

Tens of thousands converged on the center of the Bolivian capital La Paz Oct. 12 to demonstrate support for President Evo Morales in his political stand-off with indigenous protesters from the eastern lowlands over a proposed highway through the TIPNIS rainforest reserve. Highland campesinos, coca growers and union members came out for the rally, and the Associated Press reported that some public servants said they were "obliged to take part." Morales addressed the demonstration, claiming that unnamed political forces were behind the protest movement in a conspiracy to divide Bolivia’s indigenous majority. Referring to himself in the third person, he later told Venezuela's TeleSUR that "TIPNIS is a banner to attack Evo." Again implying that the protesters are manipulated by the US and Bolivia's right-wing opposition, he said that "the historic enemies of the indigenous movement and Mother Earth now appear as defenders" of indigenous rights. (TeleSUR, Oct. 13; AP, Oct. 12)

A Colombian photographer whose photos of the Nukak tribe have helped publicize their plight has received threats, apparently from right-wing paramilitaries. Juan Pablo Gutiérrez had been working in the southern Colombian Amazon documenting the Nukak, whose lives have been devastated by the loss of their lands at the hands of armed groups and coca-growing colonists. Last month, Gutiérrez received an e-mail from a sender identified only as "Callon001," which read: "Stop fucking around [deje de joder] with your photos and your undesirable position as a human rights defender. You're a left-wing guerrilla dressed up as a photographer. We want you to know…that we are following your footsteps, we know where you live and where you’re going, and if you continue to fuck around, next time it won’t be a letter. We will come and find you in person." (Survival International, SI, Sept. 19)

Bolivia's Chamber of Deputies voted Oct. 11 to approve President Evo Morales' decision to halt a controversial road project through the country's eastern Amazon rainforest in order to consult with the local population. Chamber of Deputies president Héctor Arce said halting the project would open the way for an "informed dialogue" with the affected communities. Despite the vote—and a police attack on their camp last month—indigenous protesters who oppose the highway project said they would continue their cross-country march on La Paz. The march, numbering some 2,000, has advanced within 100 kilometers of La Paz, but has slowed in recent days, the lowland rainforest inhabitants being unaccustomed to the cold weather and thin air of the altiplano. March leaders said they would probably not arrive until next week, to allow this weekend's judicial elections to go ahead without interference. A march of counter-protesters in expected in La Paz tomorrow. (AFP, InfoBAE, Argentina, Oct. 11)

Peru has leased its first five oil and gas exploration contracts since passing a new law designed to protect the country's indigenous peoples. Exploration blocks have been awarded to British firm Pitkin Petroleum (Lot 18, Piura region) and Colombia's Ecopetrol (Lot 179, Loreto region). Another British firm, Hydrocarbon Exploration, has contracts to explore two blocks (Lots 183 and 188, in Loreto and Ucayali). Another block is leased to Argentina's Tecpetrol (Lot 174, Ucayali). State agency PeruPetro said the companies, which won the exploration rights through a tender in July, re-signed in October with an added clause confirming "their commitment to strictly comply with the law of prior consultation." (FT, Oct. 4; RPP, Sept. 29; La Mula, Lima, Aug. 4)

Authorities in Peru say National Police rescued 293 women from sexual exploitation in raids across the country's Amazonian region of Madre de Dios. At least four people were arrested in the regional capital Puerto Maldonado on suspicion of human trafficking. Among those rescued from about 50 brothels were at least 10 minors—the youngest being a 13-year-old girl. More than 400 police agents took part in the three-day operation across the region, known for its illegal gold mining. Authorities said some of the women were being held against their will in mining camps, while others had been forced to work as prostibares—prostitutes who operate out of bars that line the region's main road. Last month, the charity Save the Children said that more than 1,100 underage girls were being used as sexual slaves in illegal mining camps in Madre de Dios. Many were lured to the region with promises of work in shops or as domestic helpers, only to find themselves forced to work as prostitutes. (BBC News, Oct. 4; Crónica Viva, Lima, EFE, Oct. 3)

Indigenous protesters in the Bolivian Amazon resumed their cross-country march Oct. 1, a week after their progress was halted by a police assault. "We have resumed the march and our intention is not to clash with anybody," indigenous leader Adolfo Chávez told Reuters. But as they passed through the villages of Marimonos and Palos Blancos towards the town of Caranavi, the road was lined with local campesinos who booed and hurled insults including "¡flojos!" and "¡pagados!"—"lazy" and "paid," an apparent reference to accusations that the protesters are in the pay of political interests. Scattered physical confrontations were reported. However, indicating a split among the local populace, other residents formed a cordon to defend the marchers and chanted, "Don't molest them, let them pass!" (ANF, Oct. 2; BBC News, Oct. 1)

Bolivia's Interior Minister Sacha Llorenti became the latest cabinet member to resign Sept. 28 in the wake of police repression of an indigenous protest in the Amazonian rainforest zone of the country. Llorenti, the target of much criticism, said he was stepping down because he did not want to be "a tool of the right, of the opposition, which intends to attack the process of structural transformations." Other officials to step down in the aftermath of the violence include Defense Minister Cecilia Chacón and several ruling party lawmakers. Llorenti was immediately replaced by Wilfredo Chávez, a close ally of President Evo Morales who until now has served as deputy government coordination minister. Ruben Saavedra, meanwhile, was chosen to resume leadership of the Defense Ministry. He had left that post in April to lead Bolivia's legal fight against Chile to regain access to the Pacific Ocean.