Indigenous woman achieves historic legal victory in fight to save vital river: 'I have been doing all this work since I was a child'

Mari Luz Canaquiri Murayari, a determined Indigenous activist from Peru, has dedicated her life to protecting the Marañón River. The river is a vital lifeline for her community and a critical part of the Amazon ecosystem, reported EFE.

Her unwavering efforts with Huaynakana Kamatahuara Kana, an association that means "Our Women are Strong" in Kukama, achieved a historic victory. They secured legal rights for the river, a groundbreaking step in environmental protection.

Canaquiri's journey into activism began in her childhood. She grew up alongside the Kukama Indigenous people in Loreto, a remote region in the Amazon Rainforest. There, she witnessed the devastating impact of pollution on the Marañón River.

Her community depends on this river for drinking water, fishing, and spirituality.

"I have been doing all this work since I was a child, with my parents, and as I grew up I became aware of the injustice we suffer in Peru," she told EFE. She knew early on that it was unfair for others to pollute their waters and that she needed to speak up.

The pollution problem that Canaquiri and her people face is severe. They endure constant oil spills from operations like the state-owned Petroperu, as well as pollution from mining, illegal logging, and coca plantations.

This contamination has a direct effect on the health of the river, the fish, and the Peruvians who rely on it. For years, their pleas for help went mostly unheard. To rally the community, Canaquiri drew upon their ancestral worldview.  

Rivers in her culture are sacred and fundamental to life.

"Then I said to myself, we can defend ourselves with our cosmovision because this is the reality that we live in, our rivers…" she explained to EFE. 

This deep connection fueled their legal battle. With support from international environmental organizations and lawyers, the Huaynakana Kamatahuara Kana women's association, led by Canaquiri, took on Petroperu.

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In a pivotal 2024 ruling, the Peruvian courts recognized the Marañón River as a "subject of a right." The decision allowed the river to flow freely and without pollution, requiring the oil company and the government to create a protection plan and prevent future spills. 

"With so many years of work, I was sure we could do it," Canaquiri told EFE. "We were looking for ways for the government to listen to us, to care about us, and then we saw ways to enforce the laws. I had the mentality that this is the way to do it." 

The law now protects the community's health and way of life. It sets a powerful precedent for protecting other rivers in the Amazon and beyond.

Cleaner rivers lead to healthier ecosystems. Natural stability provides safer food sources and drinking water for everyone.

Canaquiri's tireless advocacy earned her the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize in 2024. While she is grateful for the international recognition, she stresses that the fight continues. They must ensure the court ruling stays enforced.

"The recognition of the Marañón River as a subject of a right opens a door for us to defend the Amazon," she affirmed, highlighting the broader significance of their local action.

Her story is a powerful example of how grassroots efforts can lead to monumental change, inspiring others to take local climate action and hold polluters accountable.

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