This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/may/08/ecuador-rejects-petition-oil-drilling-yasuni

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Ecuador rejects petition to stop oil drilling in Yasuni national park Ecuador rejects petition to stop oil drilling in Yasuni national park
(4 months later)
Nearly two thirds of the signatures on a national petition to stop oil being exploited on a large scale in one of the most biodiverse parts of the Amazon rainforest have been rejected, leading to demonstations across Ecuador and accusations of bias and manipulation.Nearly two thirds of the signatures on a national petition to stop oil being exploited on a large scale in one of the most biodiverse parts of the Amazon rainforest have been rejected, leading to demonstations across Ecuador and accusations of bias and manipulation.
Objectors to oil exploitation in the Yasuni national park in the east of the Ecuador were required to collect 583,323 signatures, or 5% of the electoral roll, to trigger a national referendum on wherther oil companies should be allowed to exploit the 864m barrels thought to lie below the Ishpingo-Tambococha-Tiputini (ITT) block of forest.Objectors to oil exploitation in the Yasuni national park in the east of the Ecuador were required to collect 583,323 signatures, or 5% of the electoral roll, to trigger a national referendum on wherther oil companies should be allowed to exploit the 864m barrels thought to lie below the Ishpingo-Tambococha-Tiputini (ITT) block of forest.
The plan to exploit the oil was strongly backed by President Correa who had argued that the $7b that Ecuador could eventually earn from the oilfield would be used to address poverty in the Latin American state.The plan to exploit the oil was strongly backed by President Correa who had argued that the $7b that Ecuador could eventually earn from the oilfield would be used to address poverty in the Latin American state.
Around 850,000 signatures, or 25% more than was required, were presented two weeks ago by a coalition of political and social groups calling themselves the YASunidos, but after a 10-day count by the National Electoral Council (CNE) only 359,762 signatures were considered legitimate.Around 850,000 signatures, or 25% more than was required, were presented two weeks ago by a coalition of political and social groups calling themselves the YASunidos, but after a 10-day count by the National Electoral Council (CNE) only 359,762 signatures were considered legitimate.
According to the CNE, some signatures were said to have been repeated up to nine times, or were found to be incomplete or to have been written by children. Other people had used fictional names like Bruce Wayne from Batman and Darth Vader from Star Wars.According to the CNE, some signatures were said to have been repeated up to nine times, or were found to be incomplete or to have been written by children. Other people had used fictional names like Bruce Wayne from Batman and Darth Vader from Star Wars.
Tens of thousands of names were rejected for not being on the national register of voting. Many more were dismissed because the paper the signatures were collected on was said to be the wrong weight, signatures were said to have been written in blue rather than black ink and identity numbers had been found to fall outside the boxes provided.Tens of thousands of names were rejected for not being on the national register of voting. Many more were dismissed because the paper the signatures were collected on was said to be the wrong weight, signatures were said to have been written in blue rather than black ink and identity numbers had been found to fall outside the boxes provided.
However, the reasons given for the wholesale rejection of signatures has led to accusations of fraud by environmentalists and indigenous groups and speculation that the council had bowed to the wishes of the president. Correa had talked openly in the run up to the count of how the YASunidos would not win and how most of the signatures would not be validated.However, the reasons given for the wholesale rejection of signatures has led to accusations of fraud by environmentalists and indigenous groups and speculation that the council had bowed to the wishes of the president. Correa had talked openly in the run up to the count of how the YASunidos would not win and how most of the signatures would not be validated.
But the accusations of fraud were rejected by the government.But the accusations of fraud were rejected by the government.
Juan Falconi, Ecuadorean ambassador in Britain, said: “In Ecuador, it is the independent National Electoral Council (CNE), not the government, who determines whether enough legitimate signatures have been collected to organise a referendum. The auditing was overseen by international observers from the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR). The CNE has been commended by regional bodies for overseeing free and fair electoral processes. Nearly 240,000 signatures have been ruled out by the CNE in the latest round of audits for not being genuine. Additionally there were signatures repeated up to nine times."Juan Falconi, Ecuadorean ambassador in Britain, said: “In Ecuador, it is the independent National Electoral Council (CNE), not the government, who determines whether enough legitimate signatures have been collected to organise a referendum. The auditing was overseen by international observers from the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR). The CNE has been commended by regional bodies for overseeing free and fair electoral processes. Nearly 240,000 signatures have been ruled out by the CNE in the latest round of audits for not being genuine. Additionally there were signatures repeated up to nine times."
“That was decisive. It means that even if they’d included all the signatures ruled out in previous audits, where people were ruled out for being underage or for not being on the electoral register, the YASunidos would still have fallen well short. The option of a referendum remains on the table where people are able to collect enough genuine signatures. For that they need 5% of the registered electorate,” he said.“That was decisive. It means that even if they’d included all the signatures ruled out in previous audits, where people were ruled out for being underage or for not being on the electoral register, the YASunidos would still have fallen well short. The option of a referendum remains on the table where people are able to collect enough genuine signatures. For that they need 5% of the registered electorate,” he said.
But Martin Carbonell, a spokseman for the Yasunidos, said the collection of groups fighting the plan to exploit oil in Yasuni were now likely to appeal. “It’s very worrying what has happened. It is the end of the facade of democracy in Ecuador. Since the beginning of the process we have been subject to physical and verbal attacks, so this was not unexpected."But Martin Carbonell, a spokseman for the Yasunidos, said the collection of groups fighting the plan to exploit oil in Yasuni were now likely to appeal. “It’s very worrying what has happened. It is the end of the facade of democracy in Ecuador. Since the beginning of the process we have been subject to physical and verbal attacks, so this was not unexpected."
“The whole process to defend Yasuni and the rights of nature is a battle we have fought for a long time. We can now appeal to the electroral tribunal, to Ecuador’s administrative court and also to the Inter American court of human rights. We will still fight for Yasuni and the Indigenous peoples”.“The whole process to defend Yasuni and the rights of nature is a battle we have fought for a long time. We can now appeal to the electroral tribunal, to Ecuador’s administrative court and also to the Inter American court of human rights. We will still fight for Yasuni and the Indigenous peoples”.
The rejection of the petition was greeted with demonstrations across Ecuador, including in oil-producing areas. “People are aware that this has damaged democracy. Before this, they had some confidence in government. This was the moment when people could say this is not a democratic government,” said Carbonell. The rejection of the petition was greeted with demonstrations across Ecuador, including in oil-producing areas. “People are aware that this has damaged democracy. Before this, they had some confidence in government. This was the moment when people could say this is not a democratic government,” said Carbonell.
The Yasuni national park supports a greater diversity of wildlife than almost anywhere else on Earth. It is also home to two human tribes who have had little or no contact with the outside world.The Yasuni national park supports a greater diversity of wildlife than almost anywhere else on Earth. It is also home to two human tribes who have had little or no contact with the outside world.