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UVM Theses and Dissertations

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Format:
Print
Author:
Cerretti, Jamie
Dept./Program:
Natural Resource Planning Program
Year:
2007
Degree:
M.S.
Abstract:
Indigenous struggles to maintain autonomy in the face of rapid changes to the global economy are multifaceted, particular in relation to extractive industries. Historically, it has been easy to assign labels of "powerful" and "powerless" to various parties in development negotiations based on control of land and financial resources but the rise of transnational civil society movements has changed that dynamic. Organized opposition to oil extraction in the Ecuadorian Amazon has occurred in the form of protests, uprisings, and lawsuits since the late 1970s. Using oil extraction in Ecuador as a case study, this thesis addresses the question of how negotiating power is wielded by indigenous people in complex resource extraction decisions.
Fieldwork in Ecuador included 22 interviews with community members, petroleum industry and government officials, and nongovernmental organization (NGO) leaders. Data was analyzed using a coding scheme primarily based on Fisher's 1983 categorization of negotiating power. This study reveals some of the weaknesses in the negotiation process, including inadequate enforcement of existing best practices for petroleum extraction in sensitive areas, a lack of clarity regarding each party's role in the development process, and procedures that have not been standardized and often exclude the indigenous community.
Internal conflicts within the indigenous movement are identified, including disagreements over how well leaders represent their communities and what constitutes effective resistance to petroleum. The definition of resistance espoused by particular segments of the indigenous movement has an effect on the relationship with international NGOs interested in the Amazon for its environmental or cultural value. Using the involvement of the Rainforest Action Network in Ecuador's Block 10 as a specific example, areas for improvement are highlighted, particularly the need for a shift in focus to funding long-term programs that address systemic problems and build indigenous organizing capacity.