标题：The dilemma of contact: voluntary isolation and the impacts of gas exploitation on health
and rights in the Kugapakori Nahua Reserve, Peruvian Amazon
摘要：Many small groups of indigenous peoples in the Amazon basin avoid and resist direct
encounters with outsiders. As far as we know, they do so because of appalling experiences
in earlier encounters with national society. When contacted today, they are extremely
vulnerable to introduced diseases and exploitation. In this paper we draw on our
experience in the Kugapakori Nahua Reserve for isolated peoples in SE Peru to
discuss some of the current debates about whether isolated peoples should be
contacted and how best to respect their right to life, health, autonomy and territory. The remote headwater regions where isolated peoples sought refuge during the last century
are increasingly sought after for resource extraction. In particular, the extraction of oil and
gas is increasing throughout the Peruvian Amazon. In the second part of the paper
we give some examples of how oil/gas companies and the energy sector in Peru
have affected the well-being of the peoples in this reserve in the 21st century. If
this trend is not reversed the impacts for isolated peoples will be irreparable.
