Manifesto Against the Assassination of our Colleague Angel Shingre

MAC has posted information on the court action in Ecuadaor against Texaco-Chevron. Even though the US company is not involved in mining the editors consider this trial an important issue in the context of community rights to bring extrctive companies to account both at home and in their country of incorporation. The following is very disturbing news of the murder of one of the key campaigners against the company.

Manifesto Against the Assassination of our Colleague Angel Shingre

The Frente de Defensa de la Amazonia and la Asamblea de Delegados de los Afectados por Texaco (The Amazon Defense Front and the Assembly of the Delegates Affected by Texaco)

From: Carlos Zorrilla

In light of the cruel murder of our colleague and friend Angel Nicolás Shingre Robles, which took place on 4 de November 2003 in the city of Coca, Orellana Province (Ecuador), the organizations and communities affected by Texaco's petroleum operations, manifest the following:

1. We express our most energetic condemnation for the criminal act against our colleague Angel Shingre's life, member of the Asamblea de Delegados de los Afectados por Texaco, in representation of Campo Yuca, Taracoa Parish. This hideous act, constitutes a grave and illegal act against one of the fundamental human rights: the right to life.

2. We would like to highlight the valuable, honest, and selfless work that our colleagues Angel Shingre was carrying out in benefit of the social rights of the communities affected by the petroleum industry in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

3. All this makes us think that this assassination could be tied in to the work that the colleague was carrying out during more than 10 years in defense of environmental rights of communities from the Amazon, before the abuses and violations carried out by the different petroleum companies.

4. We insists that the competent authorities investigate and punish with the full weight of the law the authors of this crime, and make public the names of the intellectual authors of this terrible crime.

5. The organizations and communities affected by Texaco and the Frente de Defensa de la Amazonía (Amazon Defense Front) will be vigilant until justice is achieved and that this case does not remain immune.

6. We also express our unconditional support to all the social leaders that are fighting to defend our rights, and we warn the real authors of the violence, that in spite of all, we will continue to fight so that justice prevails.

Nueva Loja, 5 de noviembre de 2003

Signing this document in representation of the following organizations and communities:

Pag. 02 Manifiesto....

Names Organization/Comunity Signatures

Ermel Chávez Presidente of the Frente de Defensa de la Amazonía ----------------------
Humberto Piaguaje Representative of the Secoya Nation ----------------------
Rogelio Criollo Representative of the Siona Nation ----------------------
Ermegildo Criollo Representative of the Cofán Nation Santos Arrobo San Francisco/ Cononaco ----------------------
José Mashumar Parroquia Dayuma/Auca ----------------------
Alfonso Ureña Parroquia San Carlos/Sacha ----------------------
Alcides Naranjo Pimampiro/Sacha ----------------------
Elésito Bone Enokanqui/Sacha ----------------------
Alejandro Soto 18 de Noviembre/Shushufindi ----------------------
Evilson Padilla Shushufindi Central ----------------------
Victorino Vargas El Triunfo/Campo Guanta ----------------------
Mariana Jiménez Vía Colombia/Lago Agrio ----------------------
Nervo Sanabria Patria Nueva/Campo Charapa ----------------------
Gerardo Gaibor La Primavera/Aguarico ----------------------
Luis Yanza Coordinador of the legal Case against Chevron Texaco ----------------------