Amazonian tribe in Peru takes hostages after oil spill

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Mon Mar 7, 2016 3:20pm EST

Amazonian tribe in Peru takes hostages after oil spill

LIMA

An indigenous community in the Peruvian Amazon took at least eight public officials hostage to demand help from the central government after an oil spill polluted its lands, authorities said Monday.

The Wampis community of Mayuriaga seized a grounded military helicopter late on Sunday, holding crew members and several officials to press for inclusion in the emergency response plan, said German Velasquez, the president of state-owned energy company Petroperu.

A rupture in Petroperu's 40-year-old pipeline spilled 1,000 barrels of oil in Mayuriaga on Feb. 3, nine days after a leak in the same duct poured 2,000 barrels near eight other indigenous communities in the same Amazonian region.

Environmental regulator OEFA ordered Petroperu to replace parts of the pipeline after repeated leaks in recent years. It said the two most recent spills polluted at least two rivers, including a tributary to the Amazon River.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-peru-environment-idUSKCN0W929C

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[GliderGuider]

1. Bring it on! nt

[Cleita]

2. Hmmm.

We are having our own battles with the oil companies here on the California Central Coast. Taking hostages to inspire our bureaucrats to listen to we the people is tempting. It wouldn't be hard either considering the terrain we would be capturing them in. Where would we keep them though?

I am not serious. It's just so tempting.

[chapdrum]

3. Seconded.

Phillips 66; San Luis Obispo.

In the Bay Area: Valero, Benicia.

Just to name two.

...or three: In 2012, a portion of the Chevron refinery in Richmond exploded.

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board did an investigation, and found the explosion "...completely preventable."

The pipe that gave way had not been replaced since its installation in...1976.

The industry's power, here as all over, is immense.

"Tempting" to say the least.

[Cleita]

7. Phillips 66 and Freeport McMoRan in SLO is what we are fighting.

Yet, in spite of the fact we fought them in getting a permit for steam injection (another fancy word for fracking) of bakken crude, the Planning Commission approved a permit, which we are appealing. This didn't stop them from going ahead and building a pipeline, which is almost finished because they seem very sure they will get the permit. Not only that, Phillips 66 is trying to bring oil bomb trains through here to the Mesa Refinery filled with tar sand oils from Alberta, Canada. Also, the oil field they are going to frack is over an earthquake fault. There is a final hearing this Friday.

[Judi Lynn]

9. Killer clowns. They don't have to care, they can afford it if things go wrong. So horrid. n/t

[appalachiablue]

4. K & R

[Cavallo]

5. I love it!

It says that it is common to take hostages over this kind of stuff. Sadly it's common there for spills and water contamination.

Still, I like their idea. They've got some people from the petrol company as hostages.

[bemildred]

6. I see they are learning our methods. nt

[Liberty Belle]

8. Do they use poison blow guns? Could be persuasive.

[Bayard]

10. Just makes you sick

Are there any regulatory offices in Peru? Did American companies have anything to do with this?