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Clashes with police over minerals’ rights kill 34 in Peruvian Amazon

Saturday, June 6th 2009 - 14:24 UTC
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Indigenous groups determined to defend their rights and to be consulted, say Indian leader Alberto Pizango . Indigenous groups determined to defend their rights and to be consulted, say Indian leader Alberto Pizango .

At least 34 people have been reported killed in clashes in Peru between the security forces and indigenous people in the Amazon region protesting oil and gas exploration on their lands.

Those killed included at least 25 tribesmen and nine policemen. The violence took place as security forces tried to end a road blockade at a place called the “Devil’s curve” near the town of Bagua, over 1.000 kilometres north of Lima.

There have been fuel and transport blockades in Peru's Amazon region for almost two months. Oil production from existing wells in the region has also been forced to close down. These incidents are the most serious to have broken out since indigenous groups began a protest campaign in April.

They are opposed to plans by the government of President Alan Garcia to open up communal jungle lands for oil exploration, logging, mining and large-scale farming.

Protest leaders said police opened fire from helicopters with bullets and tear gas, while national police director Jose Sanchez Farfan said protesters attacked officers with firearms. He said they also set fire to government buildings. Nine police officers were killed by gunfire and 45 wounded, said Farfan.

Indigenous leaders said 25 Indians were killed in the clash, accusing the government of “genocide” in attacking what they called a peaceful protest. Another 50 Indians were injured, 14 of them seriously, said Servando Puerta, one indigenous leader.

President Alan Garcia accused the main Indian leader Alberto Pizango of “falling to a criminal level: to assault a police post, grab arms from police and kill police who are fulfilling their duty”.

Pizango denied that Indians killed police, though a report by the environmental group Amazon Watch quoting a witness on the scene said Indians had disarmed police in self-defence.

President Garcia has said all Peruvians should benefit from the country's natural resources not just the people who happened to live in the areas concerned. Under Peru's constitution the state owns the country's mineral and hydrocarbon wealth.

The laws decreed by Garcia as he implemented the Peru-US free trade pact, “illegally open communal jungle lands and water resources to oil drilling, logging, mining and large-scale farming” point out indigenous leaders. In addition to violating Peru's constitution, they accuse President Garcia of breaking international law by not obtaining their consent.

A study published last year from the US Duke university said contract blocks for oil and gas exploration cover approximately 72% of Peru's rain forest.

Peru under former president Alejandro Toledo and President Garcia has led economic growth in Latinamerica in recent years. But Garcia's critics say little wealth has trickled down in a country where roughly half the population is indigenous and the poverty rate tops 40%.

Indigenous organizations claim Garcia's government does not consult them in good faith before signing such contracts which could affect at least 30,000 Amazon Indians across six provinces. Last month, Roman Catholic bishops in the Amazon issued a communiqué calling the Indians' complaints legitimate.

Pizango said last month that Indians would view any government security forces as an “external aggression” and would give their lives to defend the land. Though he later rescinded what amounted to a declaration of insurgency, it is unclear how much influence Pizango, president of the Peruvian Jungle Inter-Ethnic Development Association, has over Indians in the conflict zone.

Garcia declared a state of emergency May 9 and suspended some constitutional rights in four jungle provinces as a result of the ongoing protests. Earlier this month, Peru's military was authorised to give support to police in the escalating dispute.

Categories: Politics, Latin America.

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