‘Biologists were not part of the crime food chain’: why Ecuador’s scientists are facing violence, threats and kidnapping | Global development

PAUL*, the biologist from QUITO, was the leadership of preservation projects in Chocó rayforest in the northeast Ecuador For more than 20 years. As he says, it was not easy, recalling the threats he had received over the years to inform the illegal fishermen and registrants in reserves, but he never thought of surrender.

Last year, tensions escalated in the region after the rise of violence on the country’s coast. Stories on almost daily killings appeared in the cities of Asiraldas and Gawaykalek, where the gangs seemed to be fighting on the lands, while forced employment increased in rural areas, and the annulment, known locally, increased in the name of Vagonasand Or vaccines.

Last August, while attending meetings in Kito, the capital, Raul received a phone call from colleagues at Chocó. They have heard that a local gang intended to kidnap it the next time that he went to the region, hoping to get money and information – or so on.

They simply said: “They will kidnap you tomorrow. Raul, who asked for his real name for not being used because he is still afraid of his safety. “When you get such news, it makes my blood cool.”

Raul did not return to Chocó for several months, but when he finally returned, he did not share his travel plans with anyone and tried to be as keen as possible. “I don’t think we are ready to deal with this type of things,” he says. “At least, I’m not.”

The story of Raul highlights the conflicts of many scholars in Ecuador Those who do field work with various groups and critical environmental systems in a country facing an increasing security crisis.

Amid a presidential campaign where the job is occupied, Daniel Nuboa, is the re -electionSecurity is still an urgent issue in Ecuador. Like the President of El Salvador Nayeb Bokil, the Ecuadorian leader launched a crime campaign – a step drawn Criticism of human rights violations. However, his initiative It has not yet been dealt with the problem of the country’s crime effectively.

In the past four years, Ecuador The killing rate increased nearly six timesAnd it is now considered one of The most violent countries in the region.

Since field work in remote rural areas is more dangerous, scientists are afraid of forcing them to give up projects, leaving weak ecosystems in the danger and isolated societies.

Javier Rubio, Local Director Ecominga Conservation CorporationShe worked in Chocó Rainforest forests 12 years ago since they created Dracula Reserve along the Northern Ecuador border with Colombia. He says that the border area has always been controlled by armed groups, especially the gang forces in Colombia, before they laid their arms after the 2016 peace agreements, followed by risky talks with the Eln Guerrilla group (which has Since the collapse). However, this has never affected their work yet.

Today, these armed groups have become fragmented, while other gangs have appeared, all of which are competing to control illegal gold in the region. Rubio reported some of this mining to the authorities, but local officials told him that they were unable to stop him. “If we do anything, they come and kill us,” he was told.

Rubio says the forced employment of young people and farmers has also increased, making it unclear who works for someone who can trust.

Last year, Ecominga had to cancel research trips by visiting academics who aim to study the settlement species in the region and the project to monitor birds with students, as their safety cannot be guaranteed in the region. He also had to stop a new water control project they just received and was about to implement with local communities.

Spacio fears that any upcoming money will put ECCONINGA and those societies at an increased risk of extortion and kidnapping.

“Even a few years ago, biologists were not part of the food chain of the crime,” says Robio. “Today, the effects of illegal mining can be quickly associated with environmental damage, pollution, loss of species and loss of livelihoods.

“And there we play an important role as we can show what is going on,” he adds. “This is where we start making it uncomfortable.”

Renato Rivera, Director OECO Crime Observatory (OECO)A non -profit organization says that armed groups were actual management bodies in the border area for more than 40 years. They say that imposing social standards and obtaining the regime under their control, as state institutions in the region were weak or not present, allowing gangs to achieve a high level of legitimacy with the local population.

Rivera says that the lack of strong presence and institutions in the country means that the state was unable to deal with these new threats in the region, such as fragmented gangs, employing the local population and increasing illegal mining.

Over the past four years, armed groups have also sought to control gold in the Amazon rain forests, putting scientists working in memorization or with the indigenous people in danger because they stand to expose these activities, says Rivera. Three of the six Amazon provinces in Ecuador He saw a significant rise in murders Last year, according to OECO research.

Sail Urby, the anthropologist who works with indigenous population societies in the Colombian and Ecuadorian Amazon for more than 15 years, is looking for how the extractive sector affects their societies.

Although he had no problems in doing field work in Ecuador, he says that tensions are now high, as community members trust him in the stories of disappearance, threats, and blackmail, especially in the border area and mining areas.

Although he did not prevent him from working in these areas, Orepe says that he prevented the study of specific topics, especially mining, because it puts societies and researchers in danger.

As research says in some reserves, where mining has become a source of income in these areas, such as Podocarpus National ParkCofán Bermejo Ecological Reserve, and Al Zarza for Wildlife, all in Amazon.

Juan Yobiz, Director Preserving large mammalsShe says that wild evaluation and environmental evaluation projects have been canceled on the coast, in provinces such as Manabi, Guaesa and Luro, and in the forests and reserves in which organized crime operates. Some say Biologists have already received death threatsWarning them against leaving the areas they are studying, as in El ORO.

Given the local and global threats facing climate crises and biological diversity, any obstacles to preserving forests are a great setback, says Yépez. We definitely exceed the planetary limit. Therefore, preventing the development of memorization and training programs is a terrible harm to everyone. “

Since many scientists are also working with local communities, they will also be left isolated in violent areas if researchers are forced to withdraw.

Gianna Zamura, a specialist in geography and health with Aldia FoundationA charitable educational institution says that the financiers have already withdrawn money from projects in areas known to be highly dangerous, such as the Iceldas province, where it has worked for more than 20 years.

This has made it difficult to reach these areas, making it difficult to involve local communities in memorization initiatives, which is a pre -success condition.

But more isolation societies, then find it difficult to face illegal actions in their territory, says Zamora. In some cases, external researchers or partnerships with universities are the only ways that these societies can reach with health care, education and jobs, they say.

Rivera says that in order for the state to control these areas, it needs to intervene, not only with the police and military power but also with health care, education and social programs.

In The Chocó, Raul says that local organizations have allied to collect violence collectively and adapt to these new facts, because the situation is not expected to change soon. They are planning for special training but also expanding local networks to alert them to the dangers in the region.

“The uncertainty that is currently happening is huge,” says Raul. “We don’t know what will happen as a country.”

* The name has been changed to protect his identity