18 Jan 2009

Ecuador: Launch of the "Yasuni Green Gold" book

PRESS RELEASE N. 001

Anita Rivas, Mayor of Francisco de Orellana
Puerto Francisco de Orellana, 12th January 2009

LAUNCH OF THE BOOK YASUNÍ GREEN GOLD, THE AMAZON FIGHT TO KEEP THE OIL IN THE GROUND.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009 at 6:00pm, in the Benjamín Carrión Room of the Ecuadorian Cultural Center in Quito, the launch event of the book "YASUNÍ GREEN GOLD" will take place. It will be organized by the local Government of Francisco de Orellana, as a part of the Yasuní Green Gold International Campaign (promoted by Movimiento IDUN and New Internationalist) whose aim is to restrict development in environmentally fragile areas.

The book "YASUNí GREEN GOLD" uses wonderful photographs to show the world the untold riches that the Yasuní National Park keeps, both in social and biological biodiversity. It also shows the negative impacts caused by the multinational oil companies that have been working in the Ecuadorian Amazon, where the ‘untouchable zone’ is located, and the fight of the inhabitants of this part of Ecuador against the activity of the hydrocarbons to defeat their territory and their human rights.

The authors of this book, Ginés Haro (Spanish) and Geogina Donati (British), with a clear conscience of the value of this natural treasure, were able to classify and organize many photographs from the Digital Photography Bank – property of the local Government of Francisco de Orellana and produced by Mauro Burzio. These pictures show not only the way of life of three ancient indigenous groups – the Huaorani, Kichwa Naparuna and Shuar – but also the way they protect the forest, because it represents the last refuge for the Tagaeri and Taromenane, two indigenous groups who still live in voluntary isolation today.

Anita Rivas, the mayor of Francisco de Orellana, emphasized the importance of this book, now more than ever, when the National Government has announced its decision of exploiting the Ishpingo-Tambococha-Tiputini-ITT camp, an oil reserve that is inside the Yasuní National Park. This decision contradicts the former position of leaving the oil in ground, presented on October 2007.

Anita also appealed to the environmental institutions and many social and cultural organizations to attend this significant event for the country. This event constitutes a way of declaring oneself in favor of the conservation of one of the largest biodiversity reserves, not only in Ecuador, but in the world. Furthermore, this is an exemplary action to avoid climate change.

You can get a copy of the book in the Yasuni Green Gold shop

Social Communication Department
Ximena Narváez
Telephone 062880447 Ext. 210
Email: alcaldia.orellana@gmail.com

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