The Globalization of Contentious Politics by Martin Pamela;

Author:Martin, Pamela; [Martin, Pamela L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group
Published: 2022-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Phase II: ARCO (1988–1999)

Arco Oriente Inc. began seismic testing in Block 10 of the Amazon in 1988. Arco was one of the twelve oil companies that received licensing privileges after 1984. It is also one of six companies in the Amazon currently which has passed the exploration phase and is now in development and production phase (Fundación Natura 1996:13). ARCO and its relations with the indigenous confederation of Pastaza (OPIP) are analyzed to illustrate the transitional phase of transnational networks within this region; they have developed complex strategies and techniques of information exchange which were learned from the previous Texaco phase. In 1994, Victor Villamil, president of OPIP, commented that his province of Pastaza did not want to “confront the social problems … which had occurred with the petroleum company Texaco in Napo and Sucumbíos” (Fernández 1994:D8). Thus, transnational contentious collective action in the Amazon has been a process of learning from previous experiences.

The Organization of Indigenous Peoples of Pastaza (OPIP) was founded in 1977 in response to the colonization of their lands by oil companies and oil company employees since the early-1960s. In an interview with the indigenous leader and technical advisor of OPIP, Leonardo Viteri, he commented that his organization learned from the events in the Northern Amazon with Texaco. He stated, “There were no paths within the country for indigenous peoples in the Amazon, except Petro Ecuador, which basically did not exist for indigenous confederations. So, it was easier to look for resources outside of the country” (Interview March 6, 1997). Viteri noted the example of a project that OPIP had had with the state that OPIP since 1980, in which they had never seen state officials nor plans to initiate the project.

OPIP is one of the most highly organized and mobilized indigenous organizations in the Amazon. They have many more transnational networks and resources than the Cofánes, and have maintained a “pro-active” position with the oil company ARCO. The SMO itself has three programs:

(1) ethnic group development, (2) inter-community relations, and (3) literacy and educational programs. Like many other groups in the Amazon, OPIP began its transnational contacts with missionaries. However, OPIP, since that time, has developed highly complex transnational networks without religious affiliations. Viteri commented that among the most important features of OPIP, aside from its own inter-group relations, are its transnational relations. OPIP in 1990 opened two representations in Europe, one in Spain and one in Belgium. In 1997, they planned to open an office in San Francisco, California and in 1998, an office in Asia. These offices are formal representations with an OPIP representative and an INGO sponsor working in them and relaying vital information to the main OPIP office and other INGOs. Viteri himself had traveled many times to their offices in Europe and initiated the California office due to his connections with Rainforest Action Network (RAN) and his former studies at the University of California, Berkeley.11

OPIP also maintains many active transnational connections with INGOs. They currently are working on projects with RAN and the Coalition for Amazonian Peoples and their Environment.

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