CASO PUEBLO INDÍGENA CACATAIBO SOLICITUD DE MEDIDAS CAUTELARES URGENTES: SUSPENSIÓN EXPLORACIÓN DE HIDROCARBUROS

The document presents evidence of the existence and vulnerability of the Cacataibo people in voluntary isolation in the Ucayali region of Peru. It combines numerous eyewitness testimonies of sightings and footprints with expert analysis on the risks posed by seismic exploration in 'Lote 107', arguing that such activities threaten the health, food security, and physical survival of these isolated groups.

• The Cacataibo in voluntary isolation are characterized by their physical appearance, often described as tall, strong, and having long hair reaching the waist, and are frequently referred to as 'calatos' due to their nudity.
• A significant indicator of the presence of isolated Cacataibo is the discovery of unusually large footprints, which locals use to distinguish them from settled community members or outsiders.
• The isolated groups maintain a semi-nomadic lifestyle, utilizing temporary shelters made of woven palm leaves (yarina) and practicing small-scale horticulture of crops like sweet potato, plantain, and cassava.
• The isolated Cacataibo are highly vulnerable to external diseases; common illnesses like the flu can lead to mass epidemics and deaths due to a lack of immunological defenses.
• Hydrocarbon exploration in Lote 107, specifically 2D seismic projects, poses a severe risk to the isolated population through forest fragmentation, noise pollution that displaces wildlife, and the introduction of pathogens by work crews.
• The Environmental Impact Study (EsIA) for the Lote 107 project is criticized for having an insufficient wastewater treatment plan, proposing a plant for only 100 people despite a projected workforce of 620, risking the contamination of local water sources.
• The isolated Cacataibo are reported to use specific communication methods, such as imitating animal sounds (monkeys, partridges) and leaving symbolic messages, such as hanging a monkey's head on a stake to warn outsiders to leave.
• Historical evidence shows that the decision to remain in isolation was often a response to violent aggressions by rubber tappers (caucheros) and gold miners in the early 20th century.
• The document records a specific historical event in 1964 where a Canadian missionary named Don Cli and others captured a group of isolated Cacataibo, including an individual known as Copai, to 'civilize' them in the Sinchi Roca community.

APA

Lu, M., Chernaik, M., & Huertas, B. (2007). CASO PUEBLO INDÍGENA CACATAIBO SOLICITUD DE MEDIDAS CAUTELARES URGENTES: SUSPENSIÓN EXPLORACIÓN DE HIDROCARBUROS. Center for International Environmental Law. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Anexos_completos.pdf

Chicago

Lu, Mercedes, Mark Chernaik, and Beatriz Huertas. CASO PUEBLO INDÍGENA CACATAIBO SOLICITUD DE MEDIDAS CAUTELARES URGENTES: SUSPENSIÓN EXPLORACIÓN DE HIDROCARBUROS. Center for International Environmental Law, 2007. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Anexos_completos.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Lu |first1=Mercedes |last2=Chernaik |first2=Mark |last3=Huertas |first3=Beatriz |title=CASO PUEBLO INDÍGENA CACATAIBO SOLICITUD DE MEDIDAS CAUTELARES URGENTES: SUSPENSIÓN EXPLORACIÓN DE HIDROCARBUROS |publisher=Center for International Environmental Law |date=17 December 2007 |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Anexos_completos.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lu2007caso, author = {Lu, Mercedes and Chernaik, Mark and Huertas, Beatriz}, title = {{CASO PUEBLO INDÍGENA CACATAIBO SOLICITUD DE MEDIDAS CAUTELARES URGENTES: SUSPENSIÓN EXPLORACIÓN DE HIDROCARBUROS}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2007}, month = dec, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Anexos_completos.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }