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Written question asked by Baroness Coussins (Crossbench) on Monday, 6 December 2021, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 20 December 2021. It was answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative) on Friday, 10 December 2021 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Peru: Indigenous Peoples

Question

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the threat to the security of indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon, particularly the (1) Flor de Ucayali, and (2) Shipibo-Conibo communities.

Answer

The British Embassy in Lima closely monitors the situation of human rights' defenders (HRDs) in Peru, and is concerned at reports of attacks on indigenous communities in Ucayali and elsewhere. Following reports of threats to the Flor de Ucayali community in November 2021, Embassy officials met representatives of the Ministries of Justice and Interior to relay our concerns to the Peruvian authorities, and gather information about the actions being taken. This complemented an in-person meeting in September 2021 between the UK Deputy Head of Mission and representatives from the Flor de Ucayali community, who shared first-hand experiences about challenges related to land tenure, legal support, access to basic public services, and threats from criminal groups.

We understand that the new Peruvian Government is committed to the improvement of protocols, and related protection mechanisms for communities facing such threats.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL4709
Session
2021-22
Subjects
Peru Indigenous peoples Amazonia
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk