On Thursday, the office of the national Peruvian Ombudsman called
for the country’s federal government to organize a committee to negotiate a
solution and end to the protest by indigenous leaders over the operation of Lot
192, the country’s largest oil field. The statement by the Ombudsman stressed
that the sides need to come to an agreement even how the negotiations will
proceed. Similarly, the Ombudsman
encouraged indigenous leaders to refrain from actions that could lead to an
escalation in violence.
The oil field has been completely shut
down since Saturday, when indigenous protestors seized it and a nearby
airfield. The protestors claim that the prior consultation with the local
community over who should operate the oil field was a fraud and has been
ignored by the federal government. The leader of the group stressed that he is
not against oil extraction, but that basic human rights need to be respected.
In mining-related news, the Peruvian National Society of
Mining, Petroleum and Energy (SNMPE) told
the press that the mining sector should continue to grow by almost 10% through
the end of the year. SNMPE Director Jose Miguel Morales attributed the growth
to production at massive mining projects including Toromocho, Anatamina, Cerro
Verde, and Constancia.
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