Uncontacted communities at risk from Peru’s encroachment

A series of recent moves by Peruvian authorities has alarmed indigenous groups, who warn that uncontacted communities face mounting threats to their survival.

In a new report, NGO Survival International highlighted proposals from national and local officials that it says endanger indigenous communities — starting with the government’s decision to block the creation of the Yavari-Mirim reserve in the Amazonian region of Loreto, where plans for a protected area had been advancing for more than two decades.

Another bill in Congress would increase the frequency of reviews for reservations where uncontacted groups live, creating a constant risk that authorities could revoke their legal protection.