Vengeance in an Indifferent Town
- 15 Jan 08, 10:17 AM
Posted from:Andoas.
We’re still here, stuck in Andoas on a grey wet day in January. The vehicle turned up from Nuevo Jerusalem at about two this afternoon, five hours late. Then the driver told us he had to do a driving course with the oil company and would be back later. He’s still not back so we hope we can drive out tomorrow at first light. It’s frustrating as hell.
We don’t have much time. We’ve come a long way to try and film the end of this story – the effects of massive oil extraction in the middle of the Amazon - but unless we can get out of here tomorrow, we’ll have to call it a day and head back. We need to be in Iquitos in five days time to get visas to get into Brazil for the rest of the journey.
A miserable day in Andoas
I’ll be gutted if we miss this, but I have a good feeling about tomorrow. The rain abated this afternoon so hopefully the road will be passable.
Jorge, our Achuar friend from Wijint, is having a hard time. He’s been here five days waiting for us and it hasn’t been easy. He’s missing his wife and kids badly and Andoas is a tough place to hang out. We heard today that there had been a murder north of here last week and that a group of Achuar were in town looking for revenge. Something to do with a woman running away with a man. We’ve seen three Achuar men walking around town in traditional dress, with red painted faces and long hair in ponytails. Apparently they want to kill the guy who murdered one of their girls.
This place is strange and dangerous. There’s an air of lethargy and indifference here, but under the surface there’s real tension too. Our presence here has caused barely a stir. We film in the village and nobody takes a blind bit of notice. But you can’t help but wonder what is really going on. I hope we find out before we have to leave.
Comments
Steve,
Well impressed with this adventure and all the other work you've been involved in, it's gripping viewing and makes me very envious,
Keep it going,
Pete.