In defense of water: Peruvians protest Conga gold mine
Cajamarca residents are organizing regional strikes and engaging in non-violent protests against Minas Conga, set to be Peru’s biggest ever mining investment. Conga is a project of the world’s second largest gold mine, Yanacocha, which has a history of mercury pollution, disregarding social and environmental commitments, and repressive tactics. Minas Conga intends to extract gold from underneath four natural lakes. Yanacocha has announced that it will replace these lakes with man-made reservoirs, yet these lake ecosystems are vital to the local watershed, which feeds the Marañon, Peru’s second longest river. Negotiations and dialogue between government representatives and Yanacocha representatives are ongoing, but the population is not willing to compromise its water and livelihood.
The Free 