Peru's tribal land protected from gas concessions

By Dana Ford

LIMA, May 8 (Reuters) - Indigenous rights groups praised Peru's petroleum agency on Thursday for excluding areas where isolated tribes live from an auction of oil and gas concessions.

Rights groups say the decision is a turnaround for Perupetro, which previously had indicated it might open up the protected areas for bidding.

"This decision acknowledges a certain standard ... that there will be no exploration or extraction of natural resources on lands inhabited by uncontacted tribes," said David Hill, a researcher with Survival International, an advocacy group.

He said encroaching oil and gas workers risk exposing tribes that shun contact with outsiders to diseases, and threaten their populations.

Perupetro had been under pressure for months to limit exploration activities near tribal areas, and had cast doubt on the existence of isolated indigenous groups, angering activists.

But this week it changed its tune and on Thursday it confirmed none of the 17 hydrocarbon lots it started auctioning this week will overlap with protected national parks.

"We are obligated to comply with the law and with certain restrictions that limit the economic activity on these lands," said Winston Wusen, a Perupetro executive. (Reporting by Dana Ford; Editing by Terry Wade)