Indians Take Ecuador Oil Wells

Thu, 20 Apr 95 11:20:31 PDT

Newsgroups: clari.world.americas.south,clari.biz.industry.energy, clari.news.ethnicity

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) -- Indians of the Huaorani tribe have seized oil wells belonging to the American company Maxus, Indian leaders said Thursday.

The Indians took over the wells in the Lago Agrio area, 110 miles northeast of Quito near the Yasuni National Park, said Hector Villamil of the Pastaza Indigenous Peoples Organization.

Villamil said the Indians were protesting the company's failure to meet an agreement to provide economic aid, electric generators and outboard motors for the Indians' boats.

There was no immediate comment from the company or the government.

The Quito daily Hoy reported Thursday that the government has about 100 soldiers in the area who could be used to remove the protesters.