AMAZON WATCH / ACTION RESOURCE CENTER / EARTH DAY NETWORK

Media Advisory : April 21, 2000

U'WA SPOKESMEN ON-STAGE AT EARTH DAY-LOS ANGELES WHILE

IN COLOMBIA 4,500 EXPECTED IN U'WA TRIBAL CEREMONY

HONORING THE EARTH

VIDEO FOOTAGE OF U'WA EARTH DAY CELEBRATION AVAILABLE VIA SATELLITE

In honor of Earth Day 2000, the U’wa tribe of northern Colombia who have
been fighting oil drilling on their sacred lands, will be holding a
traditional ceremony in their territory in homage to Mother Earth. In
addition, Two U'wa representatives will speak on-stage on the Earth Day-Los
Angeles at Exposition Park.

In Colombia, the U'wa will begin a traditional earth prayer ceremony at 10am
(CT), 22 April 2000 in the town of Cubará, in the northeastern state of
Boyacá. More than 4,500 U'wa and their supporters are expected to attend the
event. Video footage of this Earth Day is being made available to the media
via satellite on Saturday afternoon.

In Los Angeles, the U'wa representatives, Roberto Perez and Berito KuwarU'wa
(Winner of 1998 Goldman Award) will speak on stage at the official Earth
Day - LA event and will participate in the Press Conference at 10:30am on
Saturday along with prominent Los Angeles environmentalists and actor Pierce
Brosnan. Several weeks ago, Pierce Brosnan expressed his support for the
U'wa and participated in a tree planting ceremony with U'wa leaders while
filming upcoming film "Taylor of Panama" directed by John Boorman (Emerald
Forest).

The U'wa believe that oil is the blood of Mother Earth and they cannot
permit drilling as this would upset the balance of their physical and
spiritual worlds. So strong is their opposition to oil drilling that they
have repeatedly stated their willingness to die if necessary to protect
their sacred ancestral lands.

Earth Day 2000 events are being organized in 183 countries around the world.
The U’wa have joined with indigenous peoples from Burma, Australia, Nigeria,
and the USA to call for clean energy and to draw attention to the negative
impacts of fossil fuel exploration.

U'wa leaders will be in Los Angeles to attend the upcoming Occidental
Petroleum Annual Shareholders' Meeting on April 28 to protest the company's
refusal to cancel oil drilling on the tribe's sacred ancestral lands. Tribal
leaders have urged Occidental Petroleum's CEO, Mr. Ray Irani to meet with
them. For more information, visit www.amazonwatch.org.

Video Footage from Colombia and a Video News Release Available Upon Request

IN USA, CONTACT: Atossa Soltani, Amazon Watch, 310 456 1340 or mobile
202-256-9795
Helen Couture Rodriguez, Earth Day Network (Seattle, USA) 1 206 876 2031

IN COLOMBIA, CONTACT: Ebaristo Tegría, U'wa Tribal Association, +57 7 889
2326 and +57 7 889 1904.

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A C T I O N R E S O U R C E C E N T E R

Box 2104, Venice, CA 90294
310.396.3254 (voice) * 310.392.9965 (fax)
arcla@enviroweb.org * www.arcweb.org

Mission: To spearhead and support campaigns
that protect the environment, human rights and
social justice; and to provide training and
coordination for grassroots organizing,
education and non-violent direct action.

PGP key available
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