Clash With Natives at the Devil’s Curve 2009

I was initially very hesitant when I began the documentary, When Two Worlds Collide. I thought it was going to be pushing an environmentalist agenda. Certainly, there were elements of that, but it went far deeper as I progressed. It all changed when the gunshots rang through a peaceful protest and the bodies were dropping to the street. This documentary demonstrates the struggles and failures of democracy, the importance of individual responsibility, and the role the environment plays in it all. 

The scale of social problems presented in When Two Worlds Collide, is unfathomable in the US today. The last time the military took action against native people was during the Westward expansion. These included wars, massacres, and human rights violations. I believe that the U.S Constitution still holds— even if the United States has not been perfect in carrying it out. Neither was Peru, and that’s partly what led to the Devil’s Curve. The Natives were denied the right to protest, and denied fair representation in a vote that directly affected them. It wasn’t an environmental issue at its core; maybe on the surface level it was, but it was primarily a human rights violation. And it was tragic to see unnecessary casualties on both sides.

I don’t usually watch too much news, so seeing the truth can be hard— real footage of real people dying. But it is important, and I’m glad I have this perspective now. I support the cause of all who desire freedom, and I admire those willing to sacrifice themselves for it. The United States was built on men who did just that. And it is what Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina were built on— independence. I think they’re still going through the growing pains. The conflict between settlers and natives is not a new one, and it is also complex. I believe all citizens deserve a vote, as they are all people. I think that President Alan Garcia failed as a leader to listen to his people. This led to bloodshed in the streets and rural towns. 

There should never be laws made without representation. The native Peruvians were not represented, and they took up the right to protest and were punished for it because they didn’t want pollution and wanted to protect their lands. I think this situation could’ve been handled far better by the government. The natives did a good job of taking responsibility and fighting for their rights through peaceful protest. The government could have negotiated with the people and listened. It was not a zero-sum game. Development is possible without destroying the water supply, and it’s good to develop—for native people and for the country as a whole. However, you can’t force someone to want that.

This is why I believe decentralized government is important. La Estrella Federal is an Argentine symbol, represented by a star based on a native flower during the collision between the Federalist and Unitarian parties of Buenos Aires. The Federalist effort was greatly influenced by Juan Manuel de Rosas. San Martín gave Rosas his sword as an act of brotherhood. San Martín also set Peru free. I think he would stand for a decentralized government because concentrated power is usually not good— unless you have a very wise king or emperor, in which case, it’s even more efficient than democracy. Democracy is not efficient. It is ugly, but it is also beautiful. I’m glad I have the right to vote, and I’m glad Peruvians, Bolivians, and Argentinians have that right, too. I think a lot of the responsibility lies on the individual for the direction their country takes— whether it rises or falls. Peru was a democracy in 2008 under Alan Garcia. It remains a democracy to this day. The atrocities that surrounded the Devil’s Curve were not consistent with a democracy, but that doesn’t mean democracy is wrong. It means a democracy in the hands of the wrong people can be used as a weapon. It’s hard to watch the natives try to take their fight to the government. The government was not receptive and closed the issue, refused to listen, and chose not to have a conversation with concerned citizens. It wasn’t right. That is why there needs to be checks and balances, as well as a local government that has some power. 

The only thing we can do is what is in our control. Fight for what is right and go against injustice. Use our vote. There are so many people who don’t vote, despite it being a privilege that  many people never get access to. If voting is all you can do to exercise your voice, do not complain when you choose not to. Why complain and not do the only thing you can do? Granted, I think it goes beyond just voting. It goes into how you conduct your life every single day. Rome was not built in a day nor did it fall in a day.

The US was founded on an idea that was very noble, democracy. Unalienable rights. The founding fathers of the United States laid the steps for South American countries to fight for their own independence and to establish democracy. That said, the world is fallen. That’s all I could really see after watching the documentary and reflecting on it. None of this violence is new. The wars in the Middle East and in Ukraine are happening today. These conflicts won’t be the last. Our world has seen countless genocides, the Nazis, the Armenian genocide, the Cambodian genocide. Mother Earth is stained red because of this. We are beings that fall, and we need to do what we can to stand up again. It starts on an individual level. 

In the case of the Peruvian natives, even though they lost the battle, I think they won the war because they were fighting for their right to democracy, freedom, and the human right to not drink polluted water or eat polluted fish. That is when the environmental issue becomes a social issue. This wasn’t about the environment, climate crisis, or carbon dioxide in the atmosphere— or whatever else people latch onto. This was about human lives. There’s something far more tragic about seeing a man lying on the ground without breath in his lungs than seeing a fallen young tree. 

There needs to be a level of respect for what we’ve been given—to do it sustainably. There is a tendency to swing the pendulum too far in favor of the planet over people— especially in the US and Europe, where we are far removed from the real consequences. I believe it is good to let the people decide if they want to develop or not. But if they do, developed countries should not get in the way. We already went that route, and we are profiting off of it. It’s not fair to deny developing countries the same opportunity if that is what they want. It’s not our business to tell them what to do with their land, because then we would be just like the President who was trying to deny them their rights. I don’t know what I think of big US companies coming into the jungle. I can see some benefit for the local economy, but really they will be paying for it later down the line, and they’re not the ones making the profit. 

Obviously, the native Peruvians did not want to do that, and I don’t blame them. I felt so much peace in the opening scene of the documentary, where the guy was in the jungle hunting. It’s peaceful— no buildings, just nature. It’s rewarding to bring meat and fish home to your family. I don’t know if I would want to trade that for a factory job working on an oil rig for an American company. Money isn’t everything— definitely not. GGreed played a role in the government’s decision. TThe vote should be made by the people who bear the risk, not by who gets the most money. AdditionallyPPresident Garcia Garcia did not bear the risk of drinking contaminated water, and he had no right to force them to drink it either. 

I do care about the environment. I think it is our responsibility to care for it, but it is still aan “it”. Those who worship nature will be led astray. God’s voice is not in the wind. It is not in the waves. His voice is not in the sound of industrialization, nor is it in the sound of rushing rivers. But it is the still, small voice (1 Kings 19). Let’s not get it twisted. Nature is awesome, glorious even, but it is not warranted to worship the creation, only the Creator. I’m curious to see where we head as a society. I think we do have enough resources to take care of everybody if we get out of our own way. I don’t think that will happen realistically speaking, because there’s too much pride in the world and too much in me. This documentary was a reality check. My problems are very small, very small. They are first world problems. I’m not having to watch my brothers get gunned down during a peaceful protest. That is a whole different level of problems that I’m grateful I don’t have. I don’t think anybody should go through that.

I know it is my responsibility, too. But, I am not in Peru, and I have no control over that situation. Genuinely, what can I do about the Peruvian government? The Peruvians are fighting their fight. We need to fight ours. It’s a different fight, but really it’s the same. I think Western developed countries are fighting a culture war that hinges on truth and it is incredibly polarized. I saw flashes of it in the documentary in Peru, when the opposing parties were yelling at each other and the discussion was getting stopped. Nothing gets done because of it. The conservatives aren’t doing a great job of providing government aid to those who are in need. Liberals clearly give the aid, and are trying, however, they’re failing. If you look at the major cities in the U.S they are all blue states and they all have ridiculously high homeless rates and crime rates. I don’t know if that’s because they are cities or because they’re blue, but clearly, neither system is working as it should. 

It is up to us to step up. Take the responsibility and serve. We owe it to each other. You’re no better than somebody just because you’re born into wealth, or into a loving home. You just got given a different hand. That gives you the opportunity to give a hand. 

Ultimately, it is individual responsibility, both to care for our environment, to vote, and to where we direct our adoration…because we are beings who worship and that doesn’t change even if you don’t believe in God. Something must take on that role. I saw more similarities than differences in this documentary. Both Peru and the U.S have intense passion for their freedom and representation, although it is being lost in the U.S. with more and more choosing not to vote, passively watching their country getting swayed by the wind. A key difference was the Native respect for nature. I think we can learn something from them without turning it into a goddess. Pachamama is the name of the goddess for Mother Earth. I can see why. They are dependent on the Earth more so than I, and they can see it because it is physical. Fundamentally, I disagree with the Natives. I think that we can do what we please with the Earth. It has been put under our feet. It is not a Prestada, but a gift. I understand the Andean Native desire to respect, even worship nature. After all, it’s right there in front of your eyes — it is beautiful, and powerful, and it sustains life. However, man does not live on bread alone, nor sunsets, nor clean rivers. When Two Worlds Collide, opened my eyes to the idea that The United States and Peru are tied together by struggle, democracy, and a fierce individual spirit that is worth fighting for. Our battles may be different, pero estamos luchando. All of us need to fight. Together… because when we quit… then we fall.