Profile

Shuar belong to the Jivaroan ethnolinguistic group and live in the upper Amazonian region of Ecuador as well as Peru.

Historical context

In October 2011, some 500 indigenous Shuar men and women from Peru's northern Amazon blocked the Morna River to stop Canadian energy company Talisman from carrying out oil exploration on their ancestral lands. The area traverses land inhabited by Achuar, Shapra, Shuar and Kandoshi indigenous groups. It also crosses the internationally protected Pastaza River Wetland Complex, the largest wetland area in the Peruvian Amazon.

Current issues

As with many other indigenous communities, resource extraction continues to be a major issue. While the government has in recent years announced plans to strengthen protections, there have been extensive illegal or otherwise problematic activities linked to exploration and resource extraction. Those affected by projects worry about health effects and consequences of reduced access to necessary water and sanitation facilities. They are also particularly concerned about the risk of pollution and contamination of ancestral hunting and fishing grounds. Traditional hunting practices help guarantee food security and supplement any income gained from wage labour or other activities.

Updated May 2018

Disclaimer: © Minority Rights Group International. All rights reserved.

This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.