Galapagos 'war games' draw fire

Environmental activists in Ecuador have protested against US-led international naval exercises due to take place near the Galapagos Islands.

Hundreds of whales gather near the islands to mate

The activists have called on Ecuadorean President Lucio Gutierrez to cancel the manoeuvres, saying they could damage the unique ecosystems of the Galapagos and disrupt the mating season of the humpback whale.

There are also concerns from human rights groups that the "war games" could become part of a possible military intervention in Colombia where a rebel insurgency has raged for nearly 40 years.

However, the Ecuadorean Government says there will be no environmental damage, as the main exercises would be conducted some 200 kilometres (124 miles) off the Galapagos Islands.

About 2,000 troops from the US, Colombian, Chilean, Mexican and Ecuadorean navies are expected to be involved in the exercises which are due to start on Tuesday.

Mating whales

Elsie Monge, of the Ecumenical Commission for Human Rights (Cedhu) - a coalition of environmental, women's and human rights groups - emphasised the activists' fears about the manoeuvres.

She said the possible use of grenades, explosives and other weaponry could harm the biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands.

She added: "We are asking that the president abstains from heading towards the possibility of involving Ecuador in Colombia's war, that he does not take part in the manoeuvres and directs his energies to education, health and social services."

Ecuadorian Environment Minister Edgar Isch said the military had assured him that the exercises would not affect the marine reserve nor the Pacific corridor near the Manta coast, where hundreds of humpback whales gather at this time of year to mate or give birth.