Cajamarca Solution Now!
Source: Yahoo!7
On Friday 25 November 2011, 15:16
Peru's northern Cajamarca department is at a standstill in a mass protest against plans to open a gold mine locals say will sully water supplies, risking their health.
Schools and business were closed and buses were off the streets on Thursday in the Andean city of Cajamarca, about 900km northeast of Lima, in a protest against the $US4.8 billion ($A4.9 billion) Conga Project run by US-based Newmont Mining Corporation.
In the city of more than 200,000 there were about 5000 people demonstrating, largely students, farmers and local residents.
Newmont also runs Yanacocha, South America's largest gold mine, located some 70km north of Cajamarca.
Protests were held throughout the Cajamarca department, which has a population of some 1.4 million.
"It's a total strike," said Wilfredo Saavedra, head of the Cajamarca Environmental Defense Front, a coalition of groups leading the protest effort.
One of the protesters carried signs that read: "without gold you can live; without water you can die" and "the water belongs to the people, not the mining companies."
The conflict goes to the heart of problems facing President Ollanta Humala in trying to balance the needs of the people who elected him -- mainly the country's poor and working class -- with the demands of the mining industry, the engine of Peru's economic growth in the past years.
The open-pit gold and copper Conga Project involves moving the water from four lakes located high in the mountains into reservoirs the company would build.
Locals say the reservoirs do not adequately replace the lakes, which also provides ground water for agriculture and for raising livestock.
Many urged Humala to keep his campaign-trail promise to defend local water rights against mining concerns.
Mining in Peru generated last year some $US15 billion ($A15.47 billion), and this year mining exports are expected to be above $US25.5 billion ($A26.29 billion), according to government figures.
Source: Yahoo!7
On Friday 25 November 2011, 15:16
Schools and business were closed and buses were off the streets on Thursday in the Andean city of Cajamarca, about 900km northeast of Lima, in a protest against the $US4.8 billion ($A4.9 billion) Conga Project run by US-based Newmont Mining Corporation.
In the city of more than 200,000 there were about 5000 people demonstrating, largely students, farmers and local residents.
Newmont also runs Yanacocha, South America's largest gold mine, located some 70km north of Cajamarca.
Protests were held throughout the Cajamarca department, which has a population of some 1.4 million.
"It's a total strike," said Wilfredo Saavedra, head of the Cajamarca Environmental Defense Front, a coalition of groups leading the protest effort.
One of the protesters carried signs that read: "without gold you can live; without water you can die" and "the water belongs to the people, not the mining companies."
The conflict goes to the heart of problems facing President Ollanta Humala in trying to balance the needs of the people who elected him -- mainly the country's poor and working class -- with the demands of the mining industry, the engine of Peru's economic growth in the past years.
The open-pit gold and copper Conga Project involves moving the water from four lakes located high in the mountains into reservoirs the company would build.
Locals say the reservoirs do not adequately replace the lakes, which also provides ground water for agriculture and for raising livestock.
Many urged Humala to keep his campaign-trail promise to defend local water rights against mining concerns.
Mining in Peru generated last year some $US15 billion ($A15.47 billion), and this year mining exports are expected to be above $US25.5 billion ($A26.29 billion), according to government figures.
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