Peru’s Indigenous Populations and

the Government
Valerie Pruc
Geography
Coastal desert

Andes

Amazon
Demographics
45% of Peruvian population is indigenous
● Quechua
● Aymara
● Aguaruna
● Huambisa
● Shipibo
● Ashaninka
● Achuar
History
● General Juan Velasco - 1969
○ Radical military government
○ Agrarian reform
○ Difficulties with implementation
■ Rondas campesinas
○ Attempts to make the indigenous populations feel more included
● Threat of expropriation of ‘unused’ land - 1987
○ Quickly rescinded
Past Conflicts
● Sendero Luminoso - 1980
○ Maoist guerilla group
○ Initial appeal as grassroots ethnic movement
○ Remains active
○ Conflict claimed many Quechua lives
● President Fujimori
○ Encouraged foreign investment
Current Movements
● No particular ‘national’ indigenous movement
● Indigenous leaders reject oil and mining companies
○ Legal complications
● CONACAMI
○ Highlands organization
○ Increasing ethnic inclusivity
● COPPIP
○ Seeks to unite Andean and Amazonian indigenous rights movements
Activism
Sources
http://www.dw.com/en/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold-indigenous-communities-in-peru-pr
otest-mining/a-19328199

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/andes-to-the-amazon/2017/oct/06/peru-urg
ed-to-ban-oil-firms-from-isolated-indigenous-peoples-land

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/06/six-farmers-shot-dead-over-lan
d-rights-battle-in-peru

http://www.refworld.org/docid/4954ce0b2.html

https://youtu.be/SPzBf-PKcLshttps://youtu.be/SPzBf-PKcLs
http://sudamericahoy.com/cronicas/esclavos-de-sendero-luminoso/

http://amazonwatch.org/news/2011/0610-perus-new-president-what-is-at-stake-for-the-
peruvian-amazon

http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/2941164/enclosing_the_indigenous_co
mmons_in_highland_peru.html