UNITED NATIONS, May 5 (UPI) -- A U.N. human rights expert says Ecuador's indigenous people remain impoverished and lack adequate access to even basic social services.
Despite recent economic growth, Rodolfo Stavenhagen warns the absence of key legislation covering their rights is already causing violent disputes.
Having just made a 10-day visit to Ecuador, during which he met a wide cross-section of society, including the president and other officials, donors, U.N. representatives, indigenous peoples and their leaders, the special rapporteur also drew attention to the increasing emigration from indigenous communities due to the lack of employment.
"The information obtained indicates that the indigenous peoples lack adequate access to basic social services such as education and health," he said, voicing particular concern about maternal and infant mortality rates and the absence of health services, especially in rural areas.
"The lack of regulations regarding indigenous justice is giving rise to conflictive situations related to jurisdictional disputes and to possible violations of the right to life and physical integrity," he said, pointing out that these problems are being aggravated by the lack of an adequate public defense system.
The Stavenhagen visited various communities including Sarayaku, involved in a conflict related to oil exploration and exploitation, where he called attention to how some economic activity is adversely affecting indigenous peoples.
He expressed concern over deterioration of indigenous habitat and the impact of extracting hydro-carbon, mining and logging on the environment and the rights of indigenous peoples, adding that "serious claims" have been made in the Amazonian region as well as other areas of Ecuador.
