The International Court of Human Rights ordered Ecuador to stop oil drilling in the territory of Yasuní National Park, where uncontacted indigenous peoples live. This is the first decision in history that directly protects the rights of isolated indigenous communities from industrial interference.
The court ruled that the activities of oil companies violate the rights of peoples who have chosen to live in isolation, and that the state must prevent any expansion of extraction and protect the territory from logging and pollution.
The decision followed a referendum in which the residents of Ecuador voted to keep resources in the ground. Now the country must find a way to comply with its obligations to the international community and its citizens.
This ruling could become a precedent for future cases where the rights of indigenous peoples and the protection of nature are set against economic interests.
