"Land is Life condemns the murder of an indigenous defender and anti-mining activist in Equatorial Austro", 25 October 2022

Latin America is a land of violence for Indigenous leaders defending territories from extractive activities. The climate of threats and the spiral of violence faced by Indigenous people due to the pressures of mining exploitation on their territories records a new [attack against an] Indigenous woman leader and defender, this time in Ecuador.

Twenty-four year old Alba Bermeo Puin was shot and killed during the night of Friday, October 21, 2022, allegedly by people linked to illegal mining in the communities of Rio Blanco, Cochapamba and Yumate. She was five months pregnant at the time of the attack, which took place against a vehicle she was in.

According to reports from human rights organisations and local Indigenous federations, the murder of the defender is part of an unprecedented escalation of threats, violent actions and attacks by armed individuals against community leaders opposed to mining activities in their territory. Over the last two weeks there have been at least three violent episodes with firearms by illegal miners. The authorities have not taken action following the complaints filed by the villagers.... In 2018, the community of Rio Blanco received a favourable sentence due to the violation of their right to prior, free and informed consultation that achieved the judicial paralysis of mining activities by the Chinese-Ecuadorian mining consortium Ecuagoldmining.... Since the execution of the sentence, the Ecuadorian State has failed to comply with its obligation to protect the violated rights of the communities in the area and this deficiency in terms of public order control has led to a large invasion of illegal miners in the territory. Their presence already constitutes a double violation of rights...

[Translated from Spanish by BHRRC]