For much of the past year, EarthRights International has been proud to support the U’Wa people in Colombia in their fight against the Magallanes oil project, working with U’Wa lawyer Aura Tegria Cristancho to defend the indigenous group’s territory.

We were pleased to receive an announcement from Aura that the equipment has been removed from Magallanes by the Ecopetrol SA, following an agreement reached with the Government on May 1st 2014. This is a major victory for the U’Wa people!

However, it should be noted the U'wa territory is not entirely out of danger. The Caño Limón-Coveñas pipelines run through the region, there are still mining concessions within U’Wa territory, and Ecopetrol still has an environmental permit to explore in Magallanes. We look forward to continuing to support the U'wa people.