Emergency state lifted in planned Peruvian mine provinces
Sunday 02 September 2012
Printable
EmailThe Peruvian government said at the weekend that it will lift a state of emergency imposed in three provinces to ease talks over the notorious Conga gold mine project.
Violent protests against the project have resulted in five deaths and dozens of injuries over the last year.
But officials warned that security forces will remain on alert to guard against disturbances.
Hundreds of soldiers had been deployed in Celendin, Cajamarca and Bambamarca provinces to quell protests against the proposed £500 million gold mine planned by US-based Newmont Mining.
Poor farmers in the region fear that the mine will pollute their water supplies and have been protesting against plans since 2011.
The state of emergency imposed in July suspended the right of assembly and other civil liberties in the three provinces.
Newmont called a temporary halt to construction work late last year after thousands of people staged protests in Cajamarca.
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