Protests continue against Newmont gold mine in Peru
Dec
21
Written by:
21/12/2011 08:10
In November 2011, thousands of people in northern Peru began protesting against plans for a huge open-cast goldmine in the high Andes. People in the Cajamarca region said the proposed Conga mine would cause pollution and destroy water supplies. The $4.8bn (£3.1bn) Conga project would be the biggest mining investment in the country's history. The US-based mining company Newmont was behind the project and had promised modern reservoirs to replace threatened mountain lakes.
According to the German campaign group Rettet Den Regenwald, "In its efforts to resist the mining industry, the population of Cajamarca was hoping for the support of Peru’s new president, Ollanta Humala. During his campaign, he promised to protect the water sources and thus ensure food security in Cajamarca, an important Peruvian agricultural region... Last weekend [Dec 10th], Humala imposed a state of emergency in four provinces of Cajamarca and sent in the military to occupy the city. Several people were injured, at least one seriously, in violent clashes with special forces."
Day after day, more than 20,000 people have been gathering at the historic Plaza de Armas in the city of Cajamarca in a peaceful demonstration with the slogan “Congo no va!” (no Conga!).
As well as asking consumers not to buy gold this Christmas, Rettet Den Regenwald have an email campaign to the president of Peru.
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