DTA Submits Amicus Curiae in Support of Action of Protection for Illincocha
On June 23, the Meritorious Cuenca Fire Department began construction work within the Illincocha sector of Cajas National Park. Despite having the highest “National Park” conservation category within the National System of Protected Areas, the construction was allowed to proceed without compliance with constitutional, regulatory, and administrative requirements. The careless errors and omissions that lead to this result are a direct violation of Nature Rights enshrined within Ecuador’s Constitution.
Significant impacts are inherent with construction of any level within the páramos. This simple understanding has informed legal and regulatory policies that have in large part preserved these unique habitats and their inhabitants for current and future generations.
Considering the sensitivity and importance of this protected area and its inhabitants, any construction, including the use of heavy 4x4 vehicles and machinery designed to strip and remove layers of soil and sensitive vegetation – even in isolation – directly violate the rights recognized by Ecuador’s Constitution.
Defend Them All stands in full support of the Plaintiff’s in urging the Court to adopt the protective action to cease operations of the project and remediate the work that has already begun.