When it comes to news reporting, I find our San Diego Union Tribune to be sparse in international coverage. The weather often upstages critical news stories from foreign lands.
Did you know that recently in Peru, a country where I visited for three cherished weeks trekking Machu Pichu amongst other adventures, there has been an alleged massacre of indigenous people by the police? Why? Because they held a peaceful demonstration to protect the Amazon rainforest.
For the past couple of months approximately 30,000 tribal people have been blocking access to road and river traffic to protest the implementation of the US-Peru FTA. They claim that the impact of the agreement will displace them from their land, traditions, and forests.
Decrees within the FTA allow for mining and petroleum companies to shove the native people aside, take their land, and push into the life-sustaining Amazonian rainforest. These aboriginal tribes are being murdered and maimed, often thrown into rivers to hide the crimes, to allow in the foreign investment monies.
So it isn’t in my backyard, why should I care? Not only is this a protest for the solidarity of neglected people; it represents international interests literally plowing into what represents more than ½ of the planet’s remaining rainforest which is also the most species rich tract. At the current rate of deforestation, it is estimated that we will lose 40% of the rainforest in the next two years. And, what of that? When our rainforest dies – so do we.
For powerful coverage of international news events I recommend:
http://www.truthout.org/ For more information on the above news story and how you can help:
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