Dear Friends,
We have exciting news to share about a major victory for Indigenous rights and conservation in the Yasuni region of the Amazon Rainforest, and for efforts to protect the forest from encroaching oil extraction.
In March, The Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued a historic ruling that recognizes the right of the Baihuaeri Waorani’s ‘uncontacted’ neighbors to live in voluntary isolation in the forest. Among other human rights violations, the Court ruled that the government of Ecuador had violated the self-determination and collective property rights of the uncontacted Waorani groups by allowing oil operations and logging in areas of Yasuni where they live. This is the first international human rights case to recognize the right of Indigenous Peoples to live in voluntary isolation. It creates a precedent that could be used worldwide to strengthen safeguards for the rights of uncontacted peoples and protect their territories, including elsewhere in the Amazon.
Among other remedial measures, the Court ordered Ecuador to protect the territories of the uncontacted Waorani groups in Yasuni from oil extraction and logging, and to fully respect the results of the 2023 referendum to shut down operations in one of the oil concessions in Yasuni National Park. You can read the judgment (in Spanish) here: https://embed.documentcloud.org/documents/25560774-sentencia-pueblos-indigenas-tagaeri-y-taromenane/?embed=1, and learn more about it (in English) in Inside Climate News: https://insideclimatenews.org/news/13032025/landmark-ruling-uncontacted-indigenous-peoples-rights-ecuador-oil-industry/
This is a major win — and your support for the Baihuaeri Waorani of Bameno helped make it happen. Our friend and leader, Penti Baihua has been on the frontlines of this fight. Your donations have helped sustain his advocacy and community organizing in the Yasuni region.
But we’re not done yet. Despite this powerful precedent for indigenous rights and rainforest conservation, the Court also said that protective measures should be “dynamic,” and left much undecided about the some of the actions that the Ecuadorian government should take to implement the judgment.
So while we celebrate this victory, Penti and the Baihuaeri Waorani still need our help to defend their rainforest home and help protect their uncontacted neighbors, and push forward for full recognition of their territorial rights. If you’re able, please consider making another donation — every contribution helps fuel this movement and build a future where the Amazon and its Indigenous guardians can thrive.
This moment proves that, together, we can create lasting change.
Thank you for standing with us.
With deep appreciation,
Friends of Ome Yasuni