The following is a translation of the statement made in Spanish by the Alianza de Organizaciones de Derechos in Ecuador. Read the original statement in Spanish here.

Public Statement

In the early hours of this morning, the National Police – in an unlawful manner and absent an adequate court order – evicted the Governing Council of the Federation of the Shuar Centres (FICSH), led by Domingo Ankuash.

The Alianza de Organizaciones de Derechos (Alliance of Human Rights Organizations) in Ecuador denounces that early this morning, at least 100 uniformed Nation Police officers entered absent a court order the headquarters of the Federation of Shuar Centres (FICSH) in Sucúa, Morona Santiago. They evicted the President of the Governing Council, led by Domingo Ankuash, and ten others who were with him. Vice President Federico Unkush was stripped of his cell phone. Immediately, the police blocked the entrances to the headquarters. The police officers failed to produce a court order when requested to do so by the lawyer for the FICSH. Officers only indicated verbally that they were acting on orders of the Ministry of the Interior. When FICSH members asked the officers to produce a written court order, police told them they should make their request to the Provincial Police Headquarters in Macas.

At the moment, FICSH headquarters remains under police occupation. Since this morning, the mobilization of heavily armed officers has been observed in the area. The current FICSH leadership has been prevented from entering the building. Who has been granted access is the former president, David Tankamash.

This incident is the latest in a series of events that have significantly impacted the Shuar federation and its practice of self-government. Recall that Tankamash was removed from the presidency of the FICSH for ignoring the decisions made in assembly to protect Shuar territory and life, which is under serious threat by mining extractivism. In particular, Tankamash was dismissed for making an agreement with the mining company Solaris Resources and for carrying out his duties in an irregular way. Following his dismissal, on March 30, the Assembly appointed a new Governing Council under the presidency of the historic leader Domingo Ankuash. On June 1, the FICSH, in its General Assembly, ratified the decision to reject mining and recognize the authority of Ankuash and the other members of the new Governing Council.

Throughout this time, Tankamash has repeatedly tried to re-assume the presidency of the Federation, without success. Nevertheless, he has received the support of the national government, likely out of interest in maintaining the organization as pro-mining in Shuar territory. The Secretariat of Management and Development of Peoples has refused to register the new Governing Council in open defiance and refusal to recognize the self-determination of the Shuar Federation. Now, in an opaque and arbitrary way, the national government sends state forces to violate the federation's headquarters. Neither at the time of entry nor until now, the unjustly evicted leaders have been informed about the cause or reasons for this police action.

We demand:

• To the national government, to stop violating the Constitution, the Plurinational State and the rights of self-determination of Indigenous Peoples. 
• To the Ministry of the Interior, the Government of Morona Santiago and the National Police, or the corresponding authority, to immediately and publicly exhibit the court order under which the National Police violated the headquarters of the FICSH and continue to keep it occupied. 
• To the Attorney General's Office, to immediately launch an investigation into this violent and unconstitutional entry and occupation of the headquarters of an Indigenous organization, protected especially under Articles 1 and 57 of the Constitution and by international law on the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

We request

• The international community and international rights organizations, including the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the UN Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples, and the tripartite standing committee of the International Labour Organization, to take immediate action, make calls to the government of Ecuador, and provide follow-up on this concerning situation.

Truth, Justice and Reparation!