Urgent situation in Ruku Samay

In recent days, significant events have been occurring in the rainforest near the Agustín community, which are decisive for the future of the forest and its inhabitants. The expansion of mining operations has seen a substantial increase across the entire region, with local government institutions essentially providing no support to the communities.

In the immediate vicinity of Ruku Samay, there is devastating encroachment into the rainforest due to the expansion of mining activities, which ruthlessly engulf the forest, especially near the river. Miners, driven by the high profitability of their operations, exert intense pressure on local communities to expand their activities. Agustín, as a representative of the Rio Blanco community, called for a meeting where he tirelessly pleaded with the community for two days not to sell their land to the mining company. However, given the poverty in which the majority of the community lives, at the end of the meeting, the community voted to allow each family to sell a hectare of land to the mining company.

In the Rio Blanco community, there are 18 families, with diverse attitudes towards mining and land sales:

• 3 families have decided not to sell their land.
• 2 families prefer to sell to the Ruku Samay organization in order to ensure the protection of the area.
• 3 families have already sold their land to mining companies.
• 10 families intend to sell their land to mining companies because they need to access financial resources as soon as possible.

But all is not lost yet. Thanks to the support of the past few days, we have come closer to raising the full amount to purchase a 2-hectare plot of land near the waterfall – a place where the rainforest still whispers stories of ancient times. Two families, who understand the value that the rainforest represents, have decided to sell to our Zivot Postaru.

Negotiations regarding the price and sale are set to commence in the coming days. Due to the high profitability of mining operations, it is expected that land prices in the area will range between 12,000 and 15,000 USD per hectare.

Despite limited resources and capacity, we deeply wish to preserve as much of this significant part of the rainforest as possible, as we plan to develop a rainforest school project nearby, teaching children about the rainforest and its importance.

Therefore, we would like to ask all of you who empathize with the local people and their situation, who sympathize with the animals, plants, or with the Agustín family, to join our efforts and help us protect this invaluable treasure of our planet.