Solidarity with Cajamarca, Peru

RAGA STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY WITH CAJAMARCA, PERU.

Istanbul, 7 July 2012

The political and social organisations present at the first Red And Green Alternative gathering at Istanbul (5 - 8 July 2012) condemn the repression of the peaceful demonstration of the inhabitants of Celendin, Cajamarca against the Conga mining project in that region. The violent repression led to five people being killed and dozens wounded. Scores of people were taken into custody.

This outrage was ordered by the Peruvian President Ollanta Humala on 3 July. Following these events the government decided to militarise the region. These casualties come after similar killings and persecutions less than two months ago at Espinar, Cusco, where the legitimate prote4sts of the local population have been just as severely repressed.

This dramatic situation in Peru, which we denounce, is part of a general context of an extractivist, authoritarian offensive spreading in Latin America. The recent coup in Paraguay is another example of this alarming situation.

We express our solidarity with the victims’ families and the movements and organisations fighting against the Conga Project in Cajamarca and all over Peru. We are in solidarity with the popular resistance movements in Latin America against extractivism and we demand the immediate end of such a repressive policy.

The military and political chiefs who are responsible for this repression should be put on trial. We also demand that the detainees should be set free and that the militarization of Cajamarca be ended.

Stop repression in Peru!

Solidarity with the fight of local communities and peoples against the big mining firms!

No to the extractivist offensive!

Make the struggle global, make hope global!