On the 30 August, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) announced that it had suspended the certification of a notorious logging company bulldozing rainforest in the Peruvian Amazon. It comes amid controversy over its role in harming the uncontacted Mashco Piro people.
Company destroying the territory of the Mashco Piro people
The company – Canales Tahuamanu – has deforested at least 120 miles into the territory of the uncontacted Mashco Piro people:
In July, Survival International published images proving that the area is home to a large number of uncontacted Mashco Piro people:
Notably, more than 100 uncontacted people live in an area with multiple logging concessions, including the one certified by the FSC.
Following this, Peruvian Indigenous organizations FENAMAD and AIDESEP, alongside Survival International, demanded the complete cancellation for FSC’s certification of Canales Tahuamanu’s logging operations there.
Together, the organisations issued a statement to the FSC at the beginning of August. In this, they threatened to boycott further “pointless” negotiations with the FSC concerning the case.
Now, the FSC has responded. It has suspended the company’s certification for eight months.
FSC suspension not enough
However, the groups argue this isn’t enough. Crucially, they have reiterated their demand that the FSC remove Canales Tahuamanu’s certification entirely.
Indigenous leader Julio Cusurichi, a member of AIDESEP’s board, said:
This is an important step, but it’s not the end of the matter. We’re going to keep up the fight until we get a historic victory.
In particular, the three organisations have highlighted how the FSC has already conducted two previous ‘evaluations’ in 2022 and 2023. Despite this, it has continued to certify the company’s timber. What’s more, FSC has long known the company has been operating in the Mashco Piro people’s territory – since organisations had been urging it to act since 2020.
Survival International’s director of research and advocacy, Fiona Watson, said:
This is welcome news – but only half of what’s required. The FSC has known for years that this company was operating inside the territory of the Mashco Piro, indeed there have been more than one fatal encounter between them and the loggers.
The massive media coverage of the images that Survival released in July, and the 15,000 emails sent to the FSC by Survival’s supporters, have clearly forced a reluctant FSC to act. It’s good that it’s suspended the company’s certification, but there’s no reason not to cancel it permanently. The Indigenous organizations and Survival will be watching closely to ensure that this isn’t just a tactic to kick the problem into the long grass.
Under Peruvian and international law the Mashco Piro have the right to the ownership of their territory, and not to have it cut down around them. We expect the FSC to recognize this – anything less will ensure the campaign continues.
Feature and in-text images via Survival International
