Mari Luz Canaquiri Murayari, a Peruvian indigenous activist, wins the Goldman Environmental Prize for her efforts to protect the Marañon River and its inhabitants. Her campaign led to a landmark ruling recognizing the river’s inherent rights.
Mari Luz Canaquiri Murayari, a 57-year-old indigenous campaigner from the Peruvian Amazon, has been awarded the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize for her tireless efforts to protect the Marañon River and its inhabitants. Her campaign led to a landmark ruling that granted the river legal personhood, recognizing its inherent rights to be free-flowing and free of contamination.
The Landmark Ruling
In March 2024, judges in Loreto, Peru’s largest Amazon region, ruled in favor of Murayari and her organization, Huaynakana Kamatahuara Kana (HKK), which represented the interests of the Kukama community. The court found that the Peruvian government had violated the river’s inherent rights and ordered it to take immediate action to prevent future oil spills into the waterway.
The ruling also mandated the creation of a protection plan for the entire river basin and recognized the Kukama community as its stewards. While the government appealed against the decision, the court upheld the ruling in October 2024, marking a significant victory for environmental activism.
A River’s Spirit
For the Kukama people, the Marañon River is more than just a waterway – it is a living entity that holds spiritual significance. According to Murayari, ‘The river is born in the Andes and flows downstream to become the Amazon River.’ The Kukama believe that their ancestors’ spirits reside in the river’s bed, and they have endured scores of oil spills for four decades, which have destroyed fish stocks, damaged the ecosystem, and contaminated the water with heavy metals.
The Kukama are an indigenous people living in the Peruvian Amazon.
They inhabit the Ucayali River basin and have a population of approximately 10,000 individuals.
The Kukama community has a rich cultural heritage, with their own language, customs, and traditions.
They are skilled fishermen and farmers, relying on the river's resources for sustenance.
The Kukama people have a strong connection to their ancestral lands and struggle to protect their territory from deforestation and encroachment.
A Personal Story
Murayari‘s own story is one of resilience and determination. As a mother of four with six grandchildren, she remembers a blissful childhood with abundant fish and animals before the oil drilling began. ‘There was plenty of food. We shared everything, worked on each other’s farms and celebrated the festivals together,’ she said.
Despite the ruling, Murayari and the HKK are asking the Peruvian government to implement the court’s ruling. The fight continues, as the river remains vulnerable to contamination and the Kukama community faces ongoing health risks.
A Warning for the Future
Murayari‘s words serve as a warning for the future: ‘The government needs to understand that it should not kill nature but protect it. Otherwise, what hope will our children, the next generation, have?’ As we move forward, it is essential that we recognize the intrinsic value of our natural world and take action to protect it.
The Peril of Anti-NGO Laws
The recent passage of an anti-NGO law in Peru has raised concerns about the impact on environmental activism. The law prevents civil society organizations from taking legal action or giving legal counsel in cases against the state over human rights abuses. Murayari fears that this law could cripple their legal battle, saying ‘It is worrying because it means lawyers cannot take our cases to enforce our fundamental rights.’
As we celebrate Murayari‘s win, let us also recognize the ongoing struggle for environmental justice and the importance of protecting our planet’s precious resources.
Environmental activism has gained momentum globally, with increasing concern over climate change, deforestation, and wildlife extinction.
The movement is driven by awareness campaigns, protests, and lobbying efforts to influence policy changes.
Key statistics include a 20% increase in environmental protests worldwide between 2015 and 2020, and a 30% rise in eco-friendly consumer products sales during the same period.
The movement's impact can be seen in governments adopting renewable energy targets and implementing stricter regulations on pollution.
- theguardian.com | Indigenous river campaigner from Peru wins prestigious Goldman prize
