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As the General Secretariat of the International Working Group of Indigenous Peoples in Isolation and Initial Contact (GTI-PIACI), the Amazon Conservation Team (ACT) has worked alongside Indigenous partners to establish more than 7 million acres of reserves and buffer zones for isolated Indigenous peoples across the Amazon. Yesterday, however, Peru’s Multisectoral Commission voted against the creation of the long-awaited Yavarí Mirim Indigenous Reserve—an initiative that would have safeguarded 1.1 million hectares of pristine rainforest and protected some of the most vulnerable peoples on Earth.
Spanning an area larger than Connecticut, the proposed reserve would have protected the territories of the Matsés, Matis, Korubo, Kulina-Pano, and Flecheiro (Takavina) peoples. If approved, Yavarí Mirim would have become the largest reserve in the world for isolated Indigenous peoples.
“We demand that the Peruvian State approve the creation of the Yavarí Mirim Indigenous Reserve, after 22 years of struggle and bureaucratic procedures. The creation of this reserve will allow for the protection of traditional territory and guarantee the fundamental rights of five Indigenous peoples in isolation, who are the most vulnerable peoples in the world. Failure to create the reserve puts their lives at risk, and the Peruvian government would be complicit in genocide,” said Apu Julio Cusurichi, Goldman Prize winner, Indigenous leader, and ACT partner.
ACT also expressed concern that key ministries—including Health and Education—did not attend the vote, despite their responsibility to uphold the rights and wellbeing of Indigenous peoples.
“It seems that other priorities have been placed before protecting the last remaining rainforests of our planet. Protecting Yavarí Mirim is a remarkable opportunity for Peru to demonstrate leadership in climate action while honoring the diversity of human existence. Safeguarding these remaining forests will help ensure that generations to come can continue to thrive on this planet,” said Daniel Aristizábal, Regional Director for ACT’s Isolated Indigenous Peoples Program.
ACT emphasizes that the establishment of the Yavarí Mirim reserve is both a critical human rights issue—to ensure the survival of Indigenous Peoples living in isolation—and an urgent environmental priority to protect one of the most biodiverse and threatened regions of the Amazon.
Indigenous organizations across Peru and civil society groups, including ACT, continue to call on the Peruvian government to reverse this decision and recognize the urgent need to protect these vulnerable peoples and ecosystems.
About Amazon Conservation Team (ACT)
Founded in 1996, ACT partners with Indigenous communities to conserve biodiversity and cultural heritage across the Amazon. Through Indigenous-led initiatives, ACT supports protected areas, sustainable land management, and community-based monitoring systems.
Media Contact:
Anna Casey | acasey@amazonteam.org
External Communications Manager
Amazon Conservation Team
