The Al Jazeera channel has produced a documentary on the events surrounding mining in Peru, and in particular the Monterrico case.

According to 4-traders, the administration of President Ollanta Humala in Peru will work to persuade the population of the northern region of Cajamarca that the stalled Minas Conga copper and gold project is viable, a high-level government official said.

Environment Minister Manuel Pulgar-Vidal said that the government will aim to reach the “hearts and minds” of those in the Cajamarca region who oppose the $4.8 billion mining project run by Minera Yanacocha.

Dr. Katy Jenkins, Senior Lecturer in sociology at Northumbria University, recently travelled to Peru and Ecuador in order to carry out research into the impact of mining on women.

Dr. Jenkins is using a feminist, life history approach to collect women’s accounts of mining activism there.

Issue 5 of the university’s ‘Showcasing Excellence’ publication, on gender, includes a piece about her work with LAMMP on pages 10 and 11. (It’s quite a large download, but well worth the wait.)

Some time ago, we reported on the many twists and turns in the case of Margarita Pérez Anchiraica. We also have a striking 12-minute video interview with her (in Spanish, with sub-titles).

Margarita’s story started in 1998 when the mining company Lisandro Proaño S.A. began to dump toxic tailings in the Bosque de Mayoc, causing severe problems for the health of the inhabitants living just 20 metres from the tailings.

In representation of her neighbourhood, Margarita started legal action demanding that the company remove the tailings and compensate the people affected. Three years later, in March 2001, the technical department of the Ministry for Mines suspended the dumping of tailings for violation of environmental law, the legal commitments agreed in the Environmental Impact Assessment and the contamination of water destined for public consumption with lead, arsenic and mercury according to a study by DIGESA.

Margarita’s struggle for compensation continued, a struggle made dangerous by the ferocious persecution directed against her in order to force her to withdraw her action. She was sacked from her job as cleaner in the local council, and received death threats. After the Inter American Commission of Human Rights instigated measures to protect her, the persecution changed to provocation: her electricity was cut off, her house was marked with a black cross, and her family was threatened with sexual abuse.

Margarita did not give up the struggle, despite important documents being inexplicably “lost”. In 2010 the court at last issued its judgement, and absolved Jaime Enrique Rodríguez Mariátegui Proaño (general manager and owner of the mining company) of crimes of environmental contamination. It also classed the crime as prescribed, because of the time elapsed.

Margarita did not accept the verdict, and appealed. In January the Supreme Court in Lima annulled the 2010 sentence and sent the case to another court for a new decision, insisting that it should take into account the available evidence.

Margarita is one of the environmental defenders supported by LAMMP.

The four-page decision of the court (in Spanish legalese) can be viewed here:  1,  2,  3,  4.

There have been strong protests in the Cajamarca region of Peru with huge demonstrations, road blocks and occupation of the Conga gold mine site belonging to Yanacocha/Newmont. This resulted in police shooting unarmed protesters on 29 November and the mine announcing suspension of the project on the same day.

Given the entrenchment of opposition to mine, including by thousands of subsistence farmers who have said they are ready to die to prevent this mine, there appears to be a real risk of large scale violence.

Michael Watts has produced a video clip in support of the Conga campaign. To see it click here.

LAMMP has written an open letter to President Humala concerning the situation. The text of the letter is available in Spanish and English, together with a list of organisations and individuals signing the letter.

Nosotros, los abajos firmantes, individuos e instituciones de varios continentes comprometidos con los movimientos para la justicia mundial, protección ambiental y desarrollo sostenible le escribimos para expresar nuestra mas profunda preocupación por los eventos que se están desarrollando en la actualidad en Perú en la mina Yanacocha, propiedad de la compañía norteamericana Newmont con participación del Banco Mundial.

El día 24 de noviembre, miles de ciudadanos peruanos iniciaron una protesta en contra del desarollo de la mina Yanacocha en el lugar conocido como Conga. Los manifestantes sostienen que los planes actuales para la mina destruirán el ambiente y las fuentes de agua dulce a su alrededor afectando a una población estimada en cien mil habitantes.

El día 27 de noviembre, un informe producido por el Ministro del Ambiente Sr. Ricardo Giessecke identificó varias fallas en la Evaluación del Impacto Ambiental (EIA) aprobada por la previa administración con respecto al proyecto Conga. Entendemos que el Sr. Ramiro del Pino, responsable del departamento del gobierno que aprobó la EIA, se había desempeñado como ejecutivo de la compañía minera Yanacocha. A pesar de estas deficiencias y una conducta aparentamente inapropiada, el gobierno que Ud. preside no ha buscado revisar los planes mineros, y ha despachado las fuerzas de seguridad al lugar del proyecto Conga.

El día 29 de noviembre las fuerzas de seguridad abrieron fuego contra manifestantes desarmados, que se acercaban a las instalaciones de la mina. Se estima que unos 18 manifestantes recibieron heridas de bala. Entre 8 y 30 policias resultaron heridos. Hasta ahora su gobierno se ha negado a admitir el alto número de lesionados civiles y el uso de armas de fuego contra civiles.

Después del incidente con armas de fuego, la mina Yanacocha anunció que suspendiera sus actividades.

El día 4 de Diciembre su gobierno declaró un Estado de Emergencia por un período de sesenta días en la región de Cajamarca. Esta medida suspende libertades civiles, y autoriza a las fuerzas de seguridad a disolver reuniones y a arrestar opositores a su antojo. El día 6 de Diciembre el Sr. Wilfredo Saavedra y cinco otros líderes de la oposición fueron arrestados sin que existiera ni orden de arresto ni cargos en su contra. Los manifestantes han jurado continuar su oposición pacífica a la mina.

Esta situación puede devenir en un riesgo inminente de violencia en gran escala. Las circunstancias guardan un parecido alarmante con la serie de incidentes recientes que han ocurrido durante las protestas contra la industria extractiva, incluyendo el uso de armas de fuego en Bagua en junio de 2006, en el cual no menos de 34 manifestantes y oficiales de la policia murieron. Lamentablemente estos conflictos contribuyen al arraigamiento de los antagonismos y frustran los intereses de todos los actores.

En estos momentos cuando el mundo mira los eventos que se desarollarán en los próximos días en la mina Yanacocha, muy respuestosamente solicitamos de Ud. que considere las sigueintes medidas:

1.Que Perú honre su compromiso con la ley y con los derechos humanos, mediante el reconocimiento y la compensación a los víctimas del incidente del 29 de Noviembre;
2.Garantizar en todo momento la seguridad física de los manfiestantes en la región de Cajamarca, incluyendo el derecho a la justicia y a un tratamiento respetuoso al ser detenido;
3.Responder las procupaciones ambientales que han surgido con respeto a la mina Conga, e imponer los requerimientos apropiados a la compañía Yanacocha.

Despacho Presidential
Jiron de la Union s/n 1 cdra
Lima
Peru

We, the undersigned individuals and institutions of several continents, committed to the movements for world justice, environmental protection and sustainable development, write to express to you our deepest concern regarding events currently unfolding at the Yanacocha mine in Peru, owned by US company Newmont, with participation of the World Bank.

On 24th November tens of thousands of Peruvian citizens initiated a protest against the development of the Yanacocha mine at the Conga site. The protesters claim current plans for the mine will destroy the surrounding environment and fresh water supplies affecting a population of approximately 100 000.

On 27th November a report produced by the environment minister Mr Ricardo Giesecke identified severe failings in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approved by the previous administration in relation to the Conga site. We understand Mr Ramiro del Pino, responsible for the government department which approved the EIA, was a former executive of the Yanacocha mining company. Despite these shortcomings and appearance of impropriety, the government of Mr Humala has not sought to review the mine plans and has dispatched security forces to the Conga site.

On 29th November the security forces opened fire on unarmed protesters approaching mine installations. Up to 18 protesters reportedly received gun shot wounds. Between 8 and 30 policemen were injured. The government has so far failed to admit the extent of the civilian casualties and the use of live ammunition. Following the shooting the Yanacocha mine announced it would suspend its operations.

On 4th December the government declared sixty days of martial law or “state of emergency” in the region of Cajamarca. This measure suspends civil liberties and allows security forces to break up meetings and arrest protesters at will. On 6th December Mr Wilfredo Saavedra and five other protest leaders were detained without warrant or charges being laid. Protesters have vowed to pursue peaceful opposition to the mine.

The above situation has created an imminent risk of large scale violence. The circumstances bear a distressing resemblance to the string of recent incidents surrounding extractive industry protests, including the Bagua shootings of June 2006 in which at least 34 protesters and police officers were killed. Such conflicts ultimately entrench antagonisms and frustrate the interests of all concerned.

As the world follows the events at the Yanacocha mine in the following days, we respectfully urge you Mr Humala to consider the following measures: 1) to honour Peru’s commitments to the rule of law and human rights by recognising and compensating the victims of the 29th November shootings 2) to guarantee the ongoing physical safety of protesters in the Cajamarca region including the right to justice and humane treatment upon detention 3) to properly address environmental concerns raised by the Conga mine and enforce corresponding requirements on the Yanacocha company.

On Friday 16th October the High Court upheld the injunction to freeze the assets of British mining company Monterrico Metals.

The claimants, including two women, allege they were detained for three days, when they were handcuffed, hooded, beaten and humiliated at the mine site. They claim that they have long-term psychological injuries. One protester, whose widow is a claimant in the case, bled to death after being shot by Peruvian police. The publication of dramatic photographs of the protestors in the Peruvian media in January propelled the case into the spotlight.

The claimants and other witnesses allege that the company was integrally involved with the police in directing, coordinating and assisting in the actions at the mine site against the protesters. Monterrico denies this. In March 2009, Peruvian prosecutors accused the police of torture but cleared the mining company and Forza of wrongdoing. Peruvian human rights groups denounced the findings as incomplete.

Following a fully contested hearing in July 2009, the UK High Court has ordered a freezing injunction for £5 million against London-registered multinational mining company, Monterrico Metals Plc. The injunction was obtained by a group of 31 indigenous Peruvians who allege that in August 2005 they were tortured by the Peruvian police assisted by mine employees and mine security guards, following their environmental protest at Monterrico’s Rio Blanco copper mine in Peru (close to the Ecuador border).

Monterrico was incorporated in England and purchased in 2007 by the Xiamen Zijin Tongguan Investment Co Ltd (a Chinese consortium), when it shifted its corporate headquarters from London to Hong Kong. Monterrico’s principal asset is the Rio Blanco mine. Monterrico owns all the shares in Copper Corp Limited (Cayman Islands); Copper Corp Limited owns all the shares in Rio Blanco Copper Limited (Cayman Islands); Rio Blanco Copper Limited owns 99.98% shares in Rio Blanco Copper SA (Peru). Rio Blanco Copper SA owns the Mine.

In May 2009, Monterrico had announced an intention to de-list from the AIM UK stock exchange on 3 June 2009. It is accepted that this was for genuine commercial reasons and that there was no intention to dispose of assets in relation to these claims, but there were concerns that the transfer of assets out of the UK might make the claimant’s legal action here futile.

On 2 June 2009, a freezing injunction was granted to the Claimants by the High Court. This prohibited Monterrico from disposing of assets to an extent that would leave Monterrico with less than £7.2 million. The injunction application was made in the absence of Monterrico. A further hearing occurred on 8/9 July, with both parties present when Monterrico argued there was no justification for freezing its assets as the claimants did not have an arguable case against Monterrico. Monterrico said it could not be held responsible for the conduct of the police and vigorously denies that its officers or employees had any involvement with the alleged abuses.

Hong Kong solicitors, Gall & Lane, were then instructed on behalf of the claimants. On 5 September a freezing injunction was granted by the Hong Kong High Court over Monterrico’s assets in Hong Kong.

On 16 October 2009, Mrs Justice Gloster ruled that the Claimants had a ‘good arguable case’ against Monterrico and that company assets of £ 5 million should remain frozen.

Richard Meeran of Leigh Day & Co said: “From the evidence we have seen I believe that it is inconceivable that the company did not know of the protesters’ harsh treatment during their three day ordeal at the Rio Blanco mine. There is no evidence that I have seen of the company taking any steps to prevent these actions. On the contrary, it would appear to be the case that the company was working in cahoots with the police. The principle that multinationals are held legally accountable for human rights violations occurring at their overseas operations is vital. Without this freezing injunction, access to justice would effectively have been denied”

Source: Leigh Day & Co
Video: The Guardian
Photograph: EFE

Laguna Negra (“Black Lagoon”) is a video by Michael Watts that explores the core values of a subsistence farming community in Huancabamba (Peru), the way the fabric of this society has been threatened by large scale mining and the destructive outcome of imposing a capital intensive model of development on a society based on traditional values.

It features Cleofe Neyra, one of the women LAMMP supports.

An investigation by the Peruvian government into allegations of the torture and kidnapping of protestors against the British-Chinese Monterrico mining company has blamed the police but cleared the company and its security firm of wrong-doing.

See this link for further details
http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page66?oid=80497&sn=Detail

Cleofe Neyra (member of ULAM the women’s Defenders Network funded and supported by LAMMP) is one of the two women kidnapped during a 2005 community protest against Monterrico. She was tortured and sexually abused whilst she was detained at the mine-camp owned by Monterrico. Her testimony can be read in the section Women and Mining of this website.