We, the undersigned organizations, express our grave concern with the Government of Peru’s alarming escalation in the repression of free speech, police brutalities, and human rights violations. We call on the Government of Peru to immediately put an end to these abuses, and to seek peaceful and dialogue-based resolution to conflicts related to extractive projects in Peru.
We are dismayed that the Peruvian Government is providing cover for extractive projects by suppressing community opposition through violent means. Our organizations support communities’ rights to peaceful and non-violent protest. We denounce violence in any form.
In the last year, social conflicts have risen sharply in Peru, now numbering over 240. A large portion of these conflicts can be attributed to extractive industry projects failing to garner community consent. In short, the lack of consent has been the primary catalyst for Peru’s growing number of social conflicts.
Over the last several weeks, the international community has witnessed the intensifying of these social conflicts and the heavy-handed violent response to quell community opposition. Most recently, police have opened fire on protestors of Newmont Mining Corporation’s Conga mine project, which threatens to contaminate and dry up water supplies in the region. Since the beginning of July 2012, this police aggression has resulted in the death of five people and numerous injuries in Bambamarca and Celendín.
We are alarmed by the violent detention of Father Marco Arana, and the brutalities and abuses he has suffered at the hands of the police while sitting in a silent vigil in Cajamarca.
We ask the Government of Peru to take these immediate steps:
• Immediately halt the repression and violent attacks against protestors.
• Lift the “State of Emergency” that violates citizen rights and has led to the militarization of the region, with the potential to lead to additional acts of violence.
• Immediately undertake an independent investigation into the brutal arrest of Father Marco Arana and the intimidation of other leaders of the opposition to the Conga project.
• Adopt a mandate of community consent prior to all extractive industry projects, as the lack of consent is the largest driver of social conflicts in Peru.
We also urge Newmont Mining Corp., which is heading up the Conga mine project, to make a public declaration against the Peruvian Government’s violent repression of civil liberties and harassment of mining protestors. We call on the company to not proceed with the project without obtaining the free, prior and informed consent of affected communities.
As part of a broad network of international civil society organizations, we will closely monitor this situation in Peru. We will continue to notify North American and international authorities, decision makers and the news media about the repressive actions of the Peruvian Government and the community opposition to the Conga mine project.
Finally, we send our solidarity to the affected communities, organizations, local authorities, and especially to the families of the victims in Peru.
Signed,
1. 350.org (US)
2. Acción Ecológica (Ecuador)
3. Amazon Watch (US)
4. American Baptist Home Mission Societies
5. ArtAndes (US)
6. Asociación de Desarrollo Económico y Social de Santa Marta ADES Santa Marta (El Salvador)
7. Asociación para el Desarrollo de El Salvador CRIPDES (El Salvador)
8. Asociación para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Comunal en El Salvador CORDES (El Salvador)
9. Asociación Pluriculturalidad Jurídica de Guatemala (Guatemala)
10. Canadian Union of Postal Workers – Syndicat des travailleurs et travailleuses des postes (CUPW-STTP) (Canada)
11. Canadian Union of Public Employees (Canada)
12. Canadians Against Mining Injustices in Peru (Canada)
13. CATAPA (US)
14. Center for Alternative Mining Development Policy (US)
15. Center for Constitutional Rights (US)
16. Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) (US)
17. Center for Justice & Accountability (US)
18. Centro de Investigación sobre Economía y Comercio CEICOM (El Salvador)
19. Coalition Québécoise sur les impacts socio-environnementaux des transnationales en Amérique Latine (QUISETAL) (Canada)
20. Columbian Justice and Peace JPIC (UK)
21. Columbia Law School Human Rights Institute (US)
22. Comité Ambiental de Cabañas CAC (El Salvador)
23. Common Frontiers (Canada)
24. Conference of Major Superiors of Men (US)
25. CONGA NO VA (Canada)
26. Earthjustice (US)
27. EarthRights International (US)
28. Earthworks (US)
29. Environment and Human Rights Advisory (US)
30. Environmental Investigation Agency (US)
31. Foreign Policy In Focus (US)
32. Foundation Earth (US)
33. Friends of the Earth – United States (US)
34. Friends of the Earth – Canada (Canada)
35. Friends Victoria (US)
36. Fundación de Estudios para la Aplicación del Derecho FESPAD (El Salvador)
37. Global Concerns Committee, Montclair Presbyterian Church (US)
38. Global Exchange (US)
39. Global Greengrants Fund (US)
40. Global-Local Links Project & Global Community Rights Framework Initiative (US)
41. Golden Dolphin Films (US)
42. Government Accountability Project (US)
43. Grand Riverkeeper (USA)
44. Great Basin Resource Watch (US)
45. Green Hearts Project (US)
46. Guatemala Human Rights Commission (US)
47. ICCO / KIA (Netherlands)
48. Indigenous Environmental Network
49. Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Movement Ottawa (Canada)
50. Institute for Policy Studies, Sustainable Energy & Economy Network (US)
51. Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense/AIDA (US)
52. International Accountability Project (US)
53. International Forum on Globalization (US)
54. International Rivers (US)
55. Joining Hands Coordinating Team, Presbytery of San Francisco (US)
56. Laguna Acoma Coalition For A Safe Environment (US)
57. Land is Life (US)
58. Maritimes – Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network (Canada)
59. Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns (US)
60. Medical Mission Sisters' Alliance for Justice (UK)
61. Mesa Nacional frente a la Minería Metálica de El Salvador (El Salvador)
62. Minding our Mines (US)
63. MiningWatch Canada (Canada)
64. Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (US)
65. Movimiento Unificado Francisco Sánchez 1932 MUFRAS 1932 (El Salvador)
66. NALACC (US)
67. Oxfam America (US)
68. Partnership for Earth Spirituality (US)
69. PLAN Action Fund (US)
70. Polaris Institute (Canada)
71. Presbyterian Church (USA) Office of Public Witness
72. Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada
73. Project Angels of Hope (Bolivia/US)
74. Project of Heart (Canada)
75. Puchka Peru (US)
76. Rainforest Action Network (US)
77. Rainforest Foundation (US)
78. Responsible Sourcing Network, a project of As You Sow (US)
79. SAKBE, Comunicacion y Defensa para el Cambio (Mexico)
80. SalvAide (Canada)
81. Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Institute Justice Team (US)
82. Tri-State Coalition for Responsible Investment (US)
83. Unidad Ecológica Salvadoreña UNES (El Salvador)
84. United Steelworkers (Canada)
85. United Steelworkers, AFL-CIO (US)
86. Victoria Mining Justice Committee (Canada)
87. Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) (US)
88. Yukon Conservation Society (Canada)
