Unless it can be stopped, Shell Oil will be drilling for natural gas this July in a rainforest area that Peru's government set aside as a homeland for uncontacted indigenous peoples. The 40-year, $2.7 billion project will be one of the largest gas operations in South America. However, should Shell's crews expose the isolated Indian groups to western diseases, the impact could erase these peoples from the Earth. Also, Shell's drilling operations could harm nearby Machiguenga Indian communities.
Based on Shell's shameful disregard for indigenous people in Nigeria, international human rights organizations expect the worst.
Last updated:26 Dec 2001