<P>Assignment: <BR>Students will conduct group research on the role of one of the following groups to determine whether or not this group would be for/against a permit to drill oil on U'wa land in Colombia.</P> <UL> <LI>Occidental Petroleum: multinational oil company headquartered in California <LI>U'wa tribe: people indigenous to northeastern Colombia <LI>Environmental activists: international community of activists that&nbsp;support positive environmental change and development <LI>Colombian Ministry: branch of the Colombian government that is responsible for issuing&nbsp;oil drilling permits on land within their country </LI></UL> <P>Each group will research this situation from one of the above perspectives. As a culmination, they will present&nbsp; their group's opinion at a mock court hearing in response to this question:</P> <P>"Should the Colombian Ministry of the Environment grant Occidental Petroleum a permit to allow them to drill for oil on U'wa land in Colombia?" </P> <P>NOTE: On May 3rd 2002, Occidental Petroleum announced withdrawal of plans to drill for oil on U'wa lands, stating that there's no oil there. Although this situation is finished, it left a huge impact on Colombia, especially for the U'Wa people. We will debate this issue as if we were making a decision before the withdrawal. </P> <P>&nbsp;</P>