lv7 (Argentina), EL PERUANO (Peru)
LIMA - Ongoing protests this week against the construction of a US-backed gold mine in the northern Peruvian province of Cajamarca have left at least four dead. According to the lv7 website, the local population has rallied in protest to oppose the project called Conga, directed by the American mining firm Newmont.
In their latest press release, Amnesty International expressed its concern about the situation in Peru: "The worrying intensification of social conflicts over natural resources in Peru is paving the way for a series of grave human rights violations."
The daily El Peruano reported that two policemen were injured during the violent clashes at the beginning of this week. Local authorities declared a state of emergency in Cajamarca and two neighboring provinces on Tuesday.
The mining project was launched on July 2, and it will replace four natural lakes by two artificial reservoirs. Protests had already been organized against Conga in December, when it was suspended by the Peruvian authorities. A team of European consultants approved the project afterwards.
Protests supporting those from Cajamarca were organised in Lima, on Wed. July 4th.
