The Matsés have cited concerns relating to ecological destruction that could be caused by the exploration and extraction of oil and its impact on animal life (1), as well as concerns about low immunity to outside disease; outsiders first formally contacted the Matsés in the 1960s. Waki Mayoruna, the leader of a local village, stated in an interview that they “don’t want to die contaminated or from some illness transmitted [by a company]” and that if exploration continues, it could lead to conflict and death. (2) The president of General Mayoruna Organization (OGM) in Brazil, Raimundo Mean Mayoruna, has also spoken out against increased contact with outsiders associated with oil companies, claiming, “This isn’t just an environmental issue. It could bring illnesses”, and that though the Matsés do not desire conflict, it could be inevitable. A main concern of the Matsés centres on the risk oil exploration would pose to Indigenous peoples living in voluntary isolation, and the almost certain decimation contact with outsiders would bring due to the spread of disease. (3) (2) Indeed, Matsés members have said they are willing to fight with weapons if companies explore their territory, just as they have defended their territory against rubber-tappers, soldiers, loggers and road-builders. The former president of the Matsés in Peru, Ángel Uaqui Dunu Maya, explained in an interview that when oil operations took place in the 1970s, many people died from exposure to outside illness, and the fear of that pattern repeating as well as the known environment risks are what motivate the Matsés to fight now. (3) The Matsés have issued a formal statement that ratifies their decision to reject oil exploration, with similar statements having been issued every year for the past 5 years after bi-national meetings. They have also sent delegations of Matsés along with Marubos, Matís and Kanamaris indigenous peoples to Brasilia to express their concerns to government representatives from Peru and Brazil’s foreign ministry.

UNIVAJA, the federation that represents indigenous groups in Brazil’s Javari Valley has published an open letter outlining their rejection of the Peruvian government’s oil exploration and production in the area surrounding River Yaquerana and calling for the suspension of all oil activity near their reserve. Similarly, OGM is pushing for dialogue between Peru and Brazil to bring about a suspension of the Peruvian concessions and to mitigate the threats to natural resources and indigenous peoples on the Brazilian side of the border. Perupetro, however, rejected an invitation from Matsés representatives to visit their territory in order to discuss Matsés opposition to the concessions. As of late November, 2014, Pacific Rubiales had halted all exploration activities in the area saying that they respect the Matsés’ decision to not allow exploration in their territory, though they still hold the concessions. (2) Another fear is that if exploration continues it will lead to unconventional extraction methods such as fracking (4). Brazil has a recently introduced regulatory framework to aid in governing fracking projects--though its effectiveness is unknown--and some local authorities have adopted anti-fracking stances. Though the concessions the Matsés are worried about in this case lie on the Peruvian side, dialogue with the Brazilian government will be very important, as the country is considering a five-year moratorium on all fracking activities due to negative ecological impacts. (5)