Save the Rain Forests! Free the People!

Peru's rainforests and the people who depend on them continue to need your help.

Last week, thousands upon thousands of you joined me to demand that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to demand an end to Peru's violent crackdown on Indigenous protestors who have been blockading roads in order to defend their lands from oil, gas, mining and logging interests.

But still, so far the US has been silent.

Join me today as we amplify our voices and demand action from those who have a responsibility to speak out: the key congressional leaders who ignored the concerns of RAN and the Indigenous groups and supported the Peru Free Trade Agreement.

President Garcia has defended opening up the Peruvian Amazon to industry as necessary to allow Peru to meet its Free Trade Agreement responsibilities with the United States.
Secretary Clinton and the State Department have the power to stop the violence in Peru by formally demanding that Peru's President Garcia stop using the US as an excuse for trampling human rights.

But our voices alone have not been enough. That's why we urgently need to tell US Representatives Sander Levin, Earl Blumenauer, Lloyd Doggett and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to tell Secretary Clinton to formally renounce violence against Peru's peaceful Indigenous peoples in the name of free trade with the United States.

The US Government must take a stand and formally demand that Peru recognize the rights of Indigenous peoples, repeal the questionable laws, and institute a democratic process to ensure that rights are respected and safety is restored.

Thank you,
Jennifer Krill
Program Director
Rainforest Action Network