ELL: U'wa campaign: BBC sees "tiny tribe" as thorn in Gore's side

[Nicholas Ostler]

There has been a global spread of the news coverage of the
Gore/Occidental/U'wa connexion. The story has been taken up by the BBC, and
was featured on their agenda setting early-morning radio programme "Today"
on 14 March.

There is a page including colour photos on
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_677000/677105.stm

and there is also a RealVideo report, which includes footage taken by the
U'wa of the first arrival of Occidental to get down to work at Gibraltar 1.

The RealVideo report, from the BBC correspondent Tom Carver in Washington,
can be found at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/675000/video/_677105_tom_carver0700_vi.ram

Here is the text of the BBC page, which is close to what is spoken on the
RealVideo.  You will see that the story seems to be developing more as a
potential embarrassment to Gore's environment credentials than as specific
concern for the U'wa.

Tuesday, 14 March, 2000, 19:36 GMT
                   Tiny tribe thorn in Gore's
                   side

                   U'wa people: Trying to defend sacred land
                   By Tom Carver in Washington

                   US presidential candidate Al Gore has carefully
                   cultivated his image as an environmentalist.

                   But now he is under fire over his close links to the oil
                   company, Occidental Petroleum, which has begun
                   looking for oil in the Amazon against the wishes of a
                   tiny local tribe called the U'wa.

                   The tribe is threatening to commit mass suicide if the
                   drilling goes ahead.

                   The U'wa tribe is trying to stop Occidental Petroleum,
                   from drilling on its sacred land.

                   But Occidental is
                   undeterred. It has started
                   moving its heavy
                   equipment in, backed by
                   the Colombian
                   Government.

                   Last year, three American
                   environmental activists were
                   killed by guerrillas while
                   trying to defend the U'wa.
                   They included Terence
                   Freitas.

                   During an interview in March
                   1998, he explained what
                   was at stake for the U'wa
                   people.

                   "The struggle now is simply
                   life or death," he explained
                   at the time.

                   "It's not whether they will
                   lose 100 hectares or 10
                   hectares. It's whether or not
                   the blood of Mother Earth or
                   the U'wa is going to be
                   taken out from under their
                   territory and used in a way
                   that they feel is wrong."

                   Gore reputation at stake

                   This dispute is threatening
                   Al Gore's reputation as an
                   environmentalist.

                   He has close ties and a large financial stake in
                   Occidental Petroleum, despite its poor environmental
                   image.

                   His father, Al Gore senior,
                   was on Occidental's board
                   for three decades.

                   As vice president of the
                   United States, his son
                   helped the company win
                   drilling concessions.

                   Charles Lewis, of the Center
                   for Public Integrity, has
                   examined the ties between
                   Al Gore and Occidental.

                   "We have looked at the
                   records for 25 years around
                   Al Gore," he says.

                   "We've followed every
                   penny he has ever received
                   and I'm telling you that the
                   company he is beholden to,
                   the one company that has
                   helped make him
                   financially whole and has
                   helped him politically is
                   Occidental Petroleum."

                   Environmentalists accuse Mr
                   Gore of a major conflict of
                   interest. Al Gore refuses
                   even to speak about the
                   U'wa's plight.

                   Colombia needs oil

                   Some say that without oil, Colombia would not be able
                   to survive.

                   According to Lowell Fleischer of the Center for Strategic
                   and International Studies in Washington, money from
                   companies like Occidental provide much needed foreign
                   earnings.

                   "It's going to take more
                   than money to solve all of
                   Colombia's problems, but
                   without the money they
                   can't go forward at all," he
                   says.

                   "Oil is extremely important
                   to the Colombian economy
                   and I think without it they
                   would be in very serious
                   difficulties."

                   The US Government is
                   pouring troops and
                   equipment into Colombia to
                   help the fight against drugs
                   and guerrillas.

                   It is a controversial policy, now complicated even further
                   by Al Gore's financial dealings.


----------------------------------------------------------------
                       Nicholas   Ostler
                           President
              Foundation for Endangered Languages
                  Registered Charity 1070616

             Batheaston Villa,  172 Bailbrook Lane
             Bath           BA1 7AA        England
             +44-1225-85-2865 fax +44-1225-85-9258
                  nostler at chibcha.demon.co.uk
       http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Philosophy/CTLL/FEL/


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