Talisman's Amazon exploration opposed by elders

Three Achuar indigenous leaders from the northern Peruvian Amazon will take their message again to the annual shareholders meeting of Calgary-based Talisman Energy on Wednesday, telling the company not to develop its properties there.

Talisman will drill anoil exploration well this yearin the1.9 million hectares of land it has rights to in the Maranon River basin.

This is the elders' third appearance at the company's annual meeting in as many years. They fear Talisman's activities willpollute the Maranon.

Talisman said it operates only in areas where it has two-thirds community support, as indicated at public meetings it conducts. The company said in an email to CBC News that it "works alongside the community to bring benefits and minimize impact on the community."

The elders are being flown in by an American non-governmental organization, Amazon Watch, which is also taking legal action against Los Angeles-based oil Occidental Petroleum.

AmazonWatch is trying to bring a lawsuit against Occidental, accusing it of causing severe pollution and sickness among indigenous people in two other rivers that are tributaries of the Amazon downstream from where Talisman is now exploring.