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Follow on Google News | Chinese Oil Interests Force Closure of Indigenous Tribe's Award-Winning EcolodgeThe news that the ecolodge will close, quite possibly permanently, comes on the heels of accolades from National Geographic that singled out this community project to receive a World Legacy Award for Engaging Communities.
By: Tropic Tropic Ecuador will halt until further notice welcoming guests to the Huaorani Ecolodge (http://huaorani.destinationecuador.com/) The announcement was made this week by Jascivan Carvalho, founder and director of Tropic Ecuador, a National Geographic award-winning ecotourism company based in Quito. (http://www.destinationecuador.com/) Since 1994, Tropic (http://www.destinationecuador.com/) Planned seismic explorations for oil are scheduled to take place virtually atop a landscape that for millennia has been home to the Huaorani who only in the middle of the last century were introduced to civilization beyond the rainforest. The Chinese oil company Sinopec, contracted by the Ecuadorian state oil company Petroamazonas, is carrying out seismic exploration in Block 21 within the Huaorani territory where the Lodge is located. "Unknown to Tropic, until recently, Sinopec has been conducting negotiations with the Huaorani communities located within the area," said Carvalho. "What we offer these people through our joint ecotourism effort is a way for them to stay on their tribal land without sacrificing a livelihood. We suspect that what the oil interests offer them can only be hard cash that is here today, gone tomorrow and that does little in the long term to secure a sustainable life." Over the years the lodge, owned by the Huaoranii communities, has provided work for approximately 90 people while supporting an additional 250 family and community members. It was established on the principle that sustainable, environmentally friendly alternatives to oil and other extractive projects can be profitable for local communities, offer young Huaorani people an alternative to migration and bring in much need foreign exchange to a dollarized economy. Carvalho noted that a purported mission of Ecuador's government has been to further sustainable tourism which brings visitors into indigenous communities such as those of the Huaorani communities in the Amazon. "However, another apparently more powerful mandate is to harvest oil and in this case, in this community, this mandate is overriding sustainable tourism," he said. "We are shocked by the lack of communication and by the cavalier attitude of Sinopec who have divided this community and turned people against each other - and against us. The Ministry of Environment approval of the testing will also send a clear message that ecotourism as a sustainable alternative is simply not being given the support it needs to flourish and to benefit indigenous communities in Ecuador." The news that the lodge will close, quite possibly permanently, comes on the heels of accolades from National Geographic that singled out this community project to receive a World Legacy Award (http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/ While the clock is ticking before explosives are set, Carvalho said he has requested a response from the government regarding what may be done at the 11th hour. "The Chinese are in and will stay until the job is finished which could be another six months. Right now because of oil-related activities it is dangerous and aesthetically unrewarding to our guests to bring them to his region," he added. The region encompasses Yasuni National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (http://en.wikipedia.org/ In 2008 Tropic assisted the Huaorani with the formation of a five-community tourism affiliation to help secure the tribe's health and heritage through the tools of sustainable tourism. Members of this tribe were trained to work at the award-winning, five-cabin Amazon rainforest lodge that they built of traditional materials harvested from Yasuni National Park. They are also learning how to produce and sell crafts. Produce is bought locally. For more information on the oil vs ecotourism issue in Ecuador please contact: Jascivan Carvalho, Founder of Tropic jascivan.carvalho@ For more information on the award-winning programs offered by Tropic please contact by Phone: +593-02-2234- Media Contact: Sara Widness / 802-234-6704 / sara@widnesspr.com Dave Wiggins / 303-554-8821 / dave@travelnewssource.com End
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