Ecuadorean indigenous groups demand removal of hundreds of gas flares

Members of indigenous communities protest outside Ecuador's Ministry of Energy and Non-Renewable Natural Resources against the continued use of gas flaring by oil producers in the country's Amazon, despite a two-year-old Constitutional Court ruling ordering the government to halt the practice, in Quito, Ecuador March 24, 2022. The signs read "Justice that waits is not justice," "Land is an inheritance from your parents and a loan to your children" and "Justice for the Amazon." REUTERS/Johanna Alarcon

Leaders of Ecuadorean indigenous communities gathered in Quito on Thursday to demand the government comply with court orders to halt the use of hundreds of gas flares by oil producers in the country's Amazon.

The top court in oil-producing Sucumbios province said in mid-2021 that the use of flares by state oil company Petroecuador and private producers violated the right to health of nine local girls and their communities.

Members of indigenous communities protest outside Ecuador's Ministry of Energy and Non-Renewable Natural Resources against the continued use of gas flaring by oil producers in the country's Amazon, despite a two-year-old Constitutional Court ruling ordering the government to halt the practice, in Quito, Ecuador March 24, 2022. The sign reads "Turn off the flares." REUTERS/Johanna Alarcon

The ruling ordered the energy ministry to eliminate the flares near inhabited areas of Orellana and Sucumbios provinces within 18 months. More rural flares can operate until 2030.

Indigenous leaders allege authorities are not complying with the ruling and the still-operating flares continue to cause grave health and environmental damages.

Flaring is a practice in which drillers burn natural gas that escapes from an oil well. Flaring wastes energy that could be utilized if captured instead of burned. Also, flaring is a dirty process that produces soot and other byproducts that escape into the atmosphere, contributing to local air pollution and global warming.

A woman from an indigenous community protests along with others outside Ecuador's Ministry of Energy and Non-Renewable Natural Resources against the continued use of gas flaring by oil producers in the country's Amazon, despite a two-year-old Constitutional Court ruling ordering the government to halt the practice, in Quito, Ecuador March 24, 2022. REUTERS/Johanna Alarcon

Cenaida Alvarado, president of the Sinchiurko community in Sucumbios, said a gas flare 100 meters from her home contaminates rainwater and its soot harms plants and animals her community consumes.

"We demand they remove the gas flare, no more pollution," said Alvarado, who was protesting outside the energy ministry with other leaders.

The ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but Petroecuador has said it is working on a plan to capture gas being released by its 355 flares.

Members of indigenous communities protest outside Ecuador's Ministry of Energy and Non-Renewable Natural Resources against the continued use of gas flaring by oil producers in the country's Amazon, despite a two-year-old Constitutional Court ruling ordering the government to halt the practice, in Quito, Ecuador March 24, 2022. The sign reads "(Union of) affected people." REUTERS/Johanna Alarcon

A study by non-governmental organizations estimates the total number of flares in Ecuador's Amazon is 447.

The flares operate 24 hours a day. Leaders said their communities see high rates of illnesses like cancer.

"People keep dying, they keep suffering pollution," said Leonel Piaguaje, leader of the Siekopai community. "Our lives aren't a joke."

Amazonian indigenous communities are fighting in court to stop oil production on their ancestral territory, a spanner in the works for President Guillermo Lasso, who wants to raise daily production to 1 million barrels to boost the beleaguered economy.

(Reporting by Alexandra Valencia; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by David Gregorio)