FOR RELEASE: INTO THE JUNGLE: AMBASSADOR VISITS AMAZONAS

UNCLAS BOGOTA 004066 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EINV ECON PHUM MOPS SENV EAID SOCI SCUL PREL CO SUBJECT: FOR RELEASE: INTO THE JUNGLE: AMBASSADOR VISITS AMAZONAS -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) The Ambassador traveled for the first time in his tenure to the Amazonas Department and its capital, Leticia, on November 18 and 19. During his visit, he met with representatives from indigenous communities, the local tourism sector, local, department, and federal government officials, and NGO leaders about the needs and challenges in the region. He also met with many monkeys, including a grouchy alpha male. Most of the region's needs centered around economic development with a focus on ecotourism. While a select few organizations have managed to balance conservation and local economic needs, a lack of thoughtful planning for increased tourism demand could put the region's treasures at risk. END SUMMARY. -------------- BALANCING CONSERVATION AND MODERN NEEDS -------------- ¶2. (U) The Ambassador met with representatives from the Ticuna-Cocama indigenous community in a "town hall"-type setting. Community leaders expressed their concerns about preserving the larger community's heritage and the importance of environmental preservation in their region. As part of the USAID-sponsored Initiative for the Conservation of the Andean Amazon (ICAA),the community has received small grants aimed at strengthening self-regulation, training women and youth about sustainable fisheries, and improving community capacity to negotiate with government entities. During their meeting with the Ambassador, representatives cited the the need to preserve and sustain their way of life through improved access to education and markets for their handicrafts and traditional medicine. ¶3. (U) The Ambassador also visited a local public school that aims to balance indigenous and modern culture through the educational environment and curriculum. The Camilo Torres School serves children mainly from the Ticuna-Cocama indigenous community. The school's principal and the Leticia Secretary of Education emphasized that in order for the children to succeed and preserve their culture and surrounding environment, they must also be well-educated in the languages and culture of their neighbors. The students receive instruction not only in Spanish, but in Portuguese, Ticuna, and some English. During the school visit, the Ambassador donated a collection of books provided by the Public Affairs Section (PAS) to assist in the school's successful integrative support to indigenous communities. ¶4. (SBU) Cultural preservation in Amazonas is inextricably linked to environmental conservation. Amacayacu National Park is the centerpiece of conservation in the Colombian Amazon. The Ambassador met with the Director of the park, Alexander Alfonso, the Regional Director for the Amazon and the Orinoquia from the Colombian National Parks Department, Rodrigo Botero, and Director of the Omacha Foundation (NGO),Fernando Trujillo. The Amacayacu National Park was created in 1975 and spans 293,500 hectares. The park not only protects flora and fauna of the Amazon region, but also is home to indigenous communities. The Ambassador visited a rehabilitation center for seven species of monkeys that have been rescued from exploitation in the international black market for exotic animals. By staffing the center with local community members trained to care for the monkeys, the park's management both provides employment and protects the vulnerable flora and fauna in the region. ¶5. (U) Another organization that effectively balances conservation with the need for employment and education is the Omacha Foundation. An environmental NGO, the foundation has worked closely with communities in the Amazon region to protect the pink dolphin (a rare species native to the Amazon) and to end the use of its meat for bait. In order to protect and preserve the fauna of the Amazon, the foundation has sponsored outreach programs to schools, fishermen, the tourism sector, local authorities, and researchers, on the importance of conserving Colombia's unique aquatic species. Omacha has sponsored artisanal craft programs and other sustainable eco-tourism programs that provide an economic resource for local communities. The Ambassador met with the director of the foundation, Dr. Trujillo, who detailed the NGO's work and highlighted the importance of conserving the natural resources of the area while developing income-generating projects for the local community. -------------- -------------- WHOM DO WE ATTRACT? FINDING A PLAN FOR THE TOURISM INDUSTRY -------------- -------------- ¶6. (U) The Amazonas Department is the largest department in Colombia, but only has 48,000 inhabitants, 53% of whom live in Leticia and Puerto Narino, municipalities located along a 116-kilometer slice of the Amazon River. The current economy of Amazonas Department, which borders Brazil and Peru, contributes less than .05% to Colombia's GDP. Local and department leaders have been vocal about their desire to improve the economy through the ecotourism sector, but have been unable to reach concrete conclusions as to how to do this. ¶7. (SBU) During the Ambassador's visit he met with Jose Ricaurte Rojas Guerrero, Mayor of Leticia; Maria Isabel Diaz, a representative from the Amazonas Governor's office and the Governor's wife; and leaders in the tourism industry. All parties expressed the overwhelming need and desire for a strengthened economic situation with additional opportunities to grow the tourism sector, but differed in their overall vision for how to best tap the Amazon's unique environment to attract tourists. The Mayor requested the Ambassador's support in protecting Leticia and the department of Amazonas from the migration of "outsiders," or non-native individuals, to the region. The mayor suggested a plan similar to that in the San Andres Islands, which would establish clear residence requirements and promote the protection of the communities in the region. This was suggested as an opportunity to protect the local economy and provide preference to the natives of the region. ¶8. (U) During a breakfast meeting, tourism industry leaders stressed the importance of stimulating the ecotourism sector to improve the local economy, but had different suggestions for an approach to this. Everyone recognized that the area lacks important infrastructure, with only 25 miles of paved roads and insufficient hotel rooms to accommodate an increase in visitors, but there was a lack of an overall plan on how to attract the high-income "boutique" eco-tourists the group seemed to be interested in attracting. The Chamber of Commerce is interested in building a convention center in Leticia, which runs counter to the tourism industry's interest in fewer, but higher-quality tourists. All participants emphasized the importance of the international community's involvement and resources to help them develop the tourism sector. A proposal for a safari-type park was put forth to the Ambassador. The Ambassador cautioned that any kind of safari park or zoo would need to be carefully developed. In addition, the Ambassador pointed out that if they wanted to capitalize on Leticia as an area for ecotourism, a traditional zoo featuring caged endangered Amazon animals would negatively impact that image. -------------- -------------- FIRST STEP: CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE -------------- -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Despite the discord in their views on tourism, all parties agreed that infrastructure development and cross-border cooperation were central to the region's growth. The military is leading this effort. In contrast to much of the rest of Colombia, the military's presence in Amazonas is mainly for cross-border cooperation and training. About 90 minutes outside of Leticia, by boat, is the GOC's Lancero jungle training school. The school is modeled after the U.S. Army's Ranger school, and this campus is the last stop before graduation. While visiting the school, the Ambassador took a tour of the obstacle course and the training facility. At the time of his visit there was one U.S. Army representative enrolled in the course. ¶10. (U) While infrastructure is lacking in the Amazonas Department, the Colombian Air Force (CAF) is currently constructing an air force base on the same property as the civilian airport. The increased capacity of the airport, with a longer runway, will allow for additional commercial flights to utilize the airport. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶11. (SBU) While all parties the Ambassador met with in Amazonas expressed a strong desire to improve economic development and increase ecotourism, no one put forward a plan to achieve these goals. Furthermore, the desired goals varied from sector to sector, causing some minor friction. As the Ambassador noted in all of his meetings, the greater community's failure to create a concrete plan would represent a lost economic opportunity for the region. END COMMENT. BROWNFIELD