Domingo Ankuash
Domingo Ankuash is a human rights defender, indigenous Shuar leader and President of the Interprovince Federation of the Shuar Centres in Ecuador – FISCH. Domingo Ankuash has led for more than thirty years the defence of the Shuar territory in face of the negative effects caused by the intervention of mining companies. His work has been recognised by associations, centres and communities of the FISCH, having his Presidency ratified in 2024.
Domingo Ankuash has become subject to attacks and eviction from the office of the FISCH more than once by police and military agents as a reprisal for his leadership and defence work. This restricts the autonomy, organisation and self-government of the Shuar people with the aim to enable mining activities in the indigenous territory. This situation adds to the attacks and killings of Shuar leaders in contexts of mining activities in the Amazon.
While the new Constitution promulgated in 2008 contained clauses referring to the environment and its protection, over the last couple of years, the government has permitted multinational corporations to enter and exploit oil and gas reserves to the detriment and devastation of the environment and indigenous communities. HRDs working to protect the environment increasingly find themselves targeted and in need of protection.
