In a Major Victory for Indigenous Peoples, Peru Establishes Reserve for Peoples in Voluntary Isolation and Initial Contact

The decision follows a two-decades-long push for Indigenous rights and environmental protection in the Amazon rainforest.

After nearly two decades of Indigenous struggle, the Peruvian government has officially established a reserve for Indigenous Peoples in voluntary isolation and initial contact. This major victory helps to safeguard Indigenous territories and rights, which are crucial as Indigenous Peoples in the Amazon rainforest face numerous challenges to their safety and land guardianship.

The Sierra del Divisor Occidental (Kapanawa) Indigenous Reserve covers approximately 500,000 hectares between the departments of Loreto and Ucayali in northern Peru. This Amazonian region is home to multiple Indigenous Peoples, such as the Remo or Isconahua, Mayoruna (Matsés and Matis), and Kapanawa, who do not maintain regular contact with outside populations.

“The creation of the Sierra del Divisor Occidental Indigenous Reserve represents a victory not only for Peoples in voluntary isolation and initial contact, but for all defenders of human rights and the environment in Peru,” stated the Regional Organization of Indigenous Peoples of the East (Orpio). “It is a testament to the resilience and strength of Indigenous communities and a reminder of the importance of protecting and preserving ancestral territories.”

Multiple Threats in Past and Future

In 2005, the Federación de Comunidades Nativas del Bajo Ucayali (Feconbu), supported by the Inter-Ethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Jungle (AIDESEP), initiated the process to recognize the Indigenous reserve. Eighteen years later, in September 2023, these and other local Indigenous organizations actively participated in the official procedures to recognize the territories belonging to Indigenous Peoples in voluntary isolation or initial contact.

The decision was based on over 300 pieces of evidence demonstrating that these Indigenous communities have historically and continuously resided in their lands. This led to the official establishment of the Indigenous reserve this year.

“This step has not been easy. We had to pressure the government and make a great impact by sending letters and statements addressed to the Minister of Culture,” said Apu Beltrán Sandi Tuituy, president of Orpio.

While the establishment of the reserve is a significant step, it is insufficient to ensure Indigenous Peoples’ safety in the region, according to local Indigenous leaders who report that illegal activities — such as the construction of roads, drug trafficking, illegal logging — and criminal organizations keep threatening Indigenous Peoples in voluntary isolation.

“As an organization, we need our allies to support the protection initiatives of Orpio. (...) The defense [and the future] of Indigenous Peoples in voluntary isolation or initial contact depends on the communities that share territories with them,” concluded Sandi Tuituy.

A plan to protect the territory of the Indigenous reserve will now be developed, approved, and implemented. According to the government of Peru, the plan will be carried out by a Protection Management Committee chaired by the Ministry of Culture. This committee will include public and regional institutions from Loreto and Ucayali, adjacent native communities, and other relevant organizations interested in contributing to the protection and management of the Indigenous reserve.

• Learn more about Orpio
• Follow Orpio on Instagram