Approximately 400 protesters from rural communities are camping on property planned for an open pit copper mine at Hudbay Mineral’s $1.7 billion Constancia project in Peru, according to a report released Thursday by Human Rights Without Frontiers.
Local residents protest Hudbay’s Peruvian Constancia mine. Source: Human Rights Without Borders
At least 4 women were injured in clashes with Peruvian National Police on Thursday near Hudbay’s project in a remote area in the Andes, according to the human rights group.
The occupation of the planned open pit site follows a Nov. 11 protest where 160 people from nearby villages staged a sit-in at the main entrance to one of Hudbay’s mining camps.
The day before, Nov. 10, two youths were detained and reportedly beaten by Peruvian National Police after entering Hudbay property, the human rights group states.
The confrontations are being reported by Peruvian national media.
“About twenty peasants, were slightly injured, but police did not report it,” La Republica is reporting. Police reportedly used tear gas to disperse protesters and destroyed motorcycles.
Police and protesters face off at a road block near Hudbay’s Constancia mine. Source: La Republica
The confrontations are occurring near the rural community of Uchucarco in the Cusco region of Peru. Human Rights Without Borders interviewed local community leaders, police and other officials on Nov. 11. The group requested a meeting with Hudbay, but the company reportedly declined.
Government officials were scheduled to hold meetings with community leaders on Friday, Nov. 14.
Local residents are reportedly angered over what they say is Hudbay’s failure to abide by agreements signed in 2012 for jobs, investments in the community and environmental protections in exchange for leasing land for the open pit mine site. Residents are seeking an amendment to the agreement stating that most of the community is opposed to the original terms, particularly women.
Residents, according to the report, are claiming to be suffering from pollution, noting that fish are disappearing, the streams have turned color and their animals are dying.
The community signed an agreement with Hudbay on March 19, 2012 called the “License Agreement for Use of Land for Mining Purposes and Social Development”. The agreement granted Hudbay the right to 636 acres for open pit mining operations. In exchange, Hudbay agreed to pay USD$27 million for various community improvement projects and provide between 400 and 600 jobs.
Hudbay states in financial reports it expects to begin production at the mine site early next year.
Hudbay states on its website that it has engaged in community initiatives with local communities near the Constancia mine site.
“In Peru, we have made specific commitments to invest in health, education and social development as part of the life of mine land use agreements with Uchucarco and Chilloroya,” Hudbay states.
“Hundreds of people now have access to quality health care and electricity, a new sewage system was installed in Chilloroya, community and computer centres were built, and school facilities and teacher training have been upgraded,” the company states in its 2013 Corporate Social Responsibility Report.
Toronto-based Hudbay has a history of violence at its foreign-owned projects. The company is facing allegations of human rights abuses in civil litigation pending in Toronto stemming from a murder, shooting and gang rapes at a former mine site in Guatemala.
Hudbay is seeking permits to construct the $1.2 billion Rosemont open pit copper mine in the Santa Rita Mountains within the Coronado National Forest southeast of Tucson.
THE MINING INDUSTRY IS CRUEL WHEN IT COMES TO DEALING WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD , PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR ” OFF – SHORE ” ACTIVITIES .
THE FIRST NATION PEOPLES OF CANADA , AND PARTICULARLY BRITISH COLUMBIA , HAVE JOINED FORCES AND HAVE BECOME A MAJOR PARTICIPANT IN MINERAL RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT CANADA . THERE HAVE BEEN MANY CASES OF BLOCKADES , SIT INS , VIOLENT SKIRMISHES AND IMPRISONMENT . WHILE THIS STILL GOES ON , THE PARTIES CONCERNED HAVE TURNED MORE AND MORE TO NEGOTIATIONS AS A WAY FORWARD . THE GOVERNMENTS , BOTH FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL ARE NOW MANDATING THAT FIRST NATION REPRESENTATION BE INCLUDED IN ALL DISCUSSIONS WHEN MINING AND RESOURCE COMPANIES APPLY FOR PERMITS . NO PERMITS ARE TO BE ISSUED UNTIL ALL ISSUES WITH THE FIRST NATION PEOPLES HAVE BEEN FIRST RESOLVED . THIS CAN BE A LONG , CONVOLUTED PROCESS .
THE PROBLEM WITH MANY FOREIGN COUNTRIES IS THE LEVEL OF CORRUPTION THAT EXISTS AND THE RIGHTS THAT GOVERNMENTS HAVE GIVEN TO THEIR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES . WHEN CORRUPTION FEATURES IN ” HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS ” IT DIVIDES THE PEOPLE . CORRUPTION AT HIGH LEVELS DENIES THE LESSER PEOPLES ANY BENEFITS . MINING COMPANIES ARE SHAREHOLDER DRIVEN WITH PROFITS AND DIVIDENDS THE ORDER OF THE DAY . A HUDBAY INVESTOR IN TORONTO IS NOT THE LEAST BIT INTERESTED IN THE PLIGHT OF THE PEOPLE OF PERU . IT IS SIMPLY A CASE OF OUT OF SIGHT , OUT OF MIND . THIS IS NO DIFFERENT WITH AMERICAN MINING COMPANIES OPERATING OFFSHORE .
CANADA IS INTRODUCING NEW LEGISLATION WHICH , IF APPLIED TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW , WILL HOLD CANADIAN MINING/RESOURCE COMPANIES MORE ACCOUNTABLE WITH REGARDS TO THEIR OFFSHORE ACTIVITIES . THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION .
Perhaps a “Sit-in/Blockade” is also what is needed at Rosemont to call national attention to this desecration in the Santa Ritas? Would Hudbay enjoy some publicity on CNN?
Mr. Hart, I am all for a “Sit-in/Blockade”to gain more national attention to the desecration in the Santa Ritas!
A BLOCKADE BY INDIGENOUS PEOPLES WHO LAY CLAIM TO THE LAND IN QUESTION IS ONE THING WHEREAS A BLOCKADE BY ” CITY /COUCH ” ENVIRONMENTALIST IS SOMETHING ELSE . ANY ACTION TAKEN MUST BE BASED ON CONSTRUCTIVE INTENT .
HOW MUCH OF THE LAND CLAIMED BY ROSEMONT IN ITS MINING PLAN CAN BE DISPUTED BY FIRST NATION CLAIMS ?