ECU136
ECUADOR / Quito / Mindo / Mindo Nambillo Cloudforest Reserve / OCP Pipeline / West LB Finance

Ecuador, Quito - OCP Pipeline.
Irishman Nicolas Jones (left) is handcuffed to German, Andrea Klimaschewski, who is crying. The two were forgotten in their cells by the Ecuadorian authorities and arrived one hour late for their own hearing.
17 persons including 14 foreigners (3 germans) were arrested for taking part in an anti-OCP pipeline sit in in the trees of the Mindo Nambillo Cloudforest.
The accused applied today to have their case annulled because of abnormalities in their arrest and the subsequent charges.

© Clive Shirley

ECU132
ECUADOR / Quito / Mindo / Mindo Nambillo Cloudforest Reserve.
Court hearing for 14 foreigners arrested in tree camps in Mindo after police and military special forces raided the camp of protesters against the construction of the OCP Heavy Crude Pipeline through the ancient forest.
The cloud forest is a watershed for local communities and has 365 species of animals and wildlife.
The OCP (Oleoducto de Crudos Pesados or heavy crude pipeline) is a consortium of 6 international companies from USA, Canada, Spain and Italy. The project is financed by the German West LB Bank.
(Westdeutsche Landesbank). In total 17 were arrested. 1 was released as a minor. 2 Ecuadorians are in prison and 14 foreigners will be deported. (1 USA, 1 France, 2 Italy, 1 Ireland, 2 Swiss, 2 German, 4 Colombians and 1 Peruvian.
© Clive Shirley