Amazonian indigenous organization’s struggle towards the access to clean water in Peru. The case of 5 cuencas

On February 6, 2018, organizations representing many of the indigenous communities of the 5 rivers basins an affected by oil spills from the state owned Northern Peru pipeline, called for a 72-hour strike as a means of force to demand to Peruvian National authorities to fulfill the resolutions adopted with the indigenous communities in 2016 (Sarumillo accords) to solve the problem of the oils spills and, among other measures, to grantee the access to clean water sources to the indigenous communities. By 9 February, due to the lack of response from the national authorities, the indigenous leaders declared their strike as indefinite, rivers were blocked impeding the transport of goods. Because of the protests, Peruvian national authorities agreed to meet with the organizations and to discuss on the measures to be taken. This paper analyzes the legal frames and arguments used by the indigenous organizations involved in the mobilization of the 5 river basins (cinco cuencas) to claim for the access to clean water. The paper describes the strategies and discourses used by the organizations. Secondary the paper explores if the recent recognition of the right to water and sanitation, adopted in 2017, is an argument used by the indigenous communities in their claims for the access to clean water.