OPINION: Amazon fires were NO coincidence

By: Justin Bowles

The Waorani people of Pastaza are an indigenous tribe from the Ecuadorian Amazon and have lived in the Amazon Rainforest for generations. Though the fires were burning in Paraguay, miles away from Ecuador, there is a theory that the fires that left many parts of the Amazon desolate didn’t start on its own. 

The Waorani people were in a lawsuit concerning the selling of sacred Amazonian lands to oil companies. The lands were originally auctioned off and approved to do so by the Ecuadorian government. The lawsuit highlighted the gap between the government’s desire for oil revenues and the indigenous peoples’ internationally recognized rights to informed consent. 

The Court ultimately ruled that the tribe had not been properly consulted before the lands were sold off. 

This was huge victory for the tribe as it was seen not only a win for the tribe but also for the Amazon. The Ecuadorian government of course appealed the decision, but the original decision was still upheld. The decision made in July saw half a million acres of ancestral land protected from being mined for oil drilling by oil corporations. 

Coincidentally after this monumental victory, news began to break about the widespread fires in the Amazon.  To me, it raised obvious red flags.  The government fought tooth and nail to acquire the lands so for the verdict not to be in their favor, they were not happy.

 We have seen repeatedly in history where the government can find different loop holes or certain “coincidences” will happen that favors the government’s side. There are other reports and explanations for the start of the fires, but nothing effects a government more than its bottom-line. The government has lost millions in revenue that I’m sure doesn’t sit well with them.