Cajamarca Anti-Mine Movement

The Cajamarca Anti-Mine Movement was an effort in 2011 and 2012 in Peru to permanently close the Conga mine, a gold mine, which would've been the second largest gold mine in the world and the largest piece of foreign investment.

Background

In February 2010, U.S.-based Newmont Mining Company proposed a joint venture with the Peruvian company Mina Buenaventura to build the Conga mine, a new gold mine, in the Cajamarca region of Peru. Newmont proposed investing $4.8 billion in the project, the largest investment in Peru’s history, and the mine would become the second largest gold mine in the world. Newmont hoped to begin production in either 2014 or 2015, upon getting permission from the Peruvian government. Newmont submitted an environmental impact study for the Conga mine, which the Peruvian government approved.

However, Peruvian locals in Cajamarca opposed the building of the Conga mine, concerned that the project would affect the fragile mountain wetlands in Cajamarca that include numerous lakes, rivers, and marshes that supply the region locals’ drinking water. Locals were not convinced by Newmont’s additional proposal to build artificial lakes to replace the four main high altitude lakes that would be affected by the mine. Locals in Cajamarca mistrusted the new project from the start, since Cajamarca is one of Peru’s most heavily mined regions and locals have experienced a history of troubled relations with mining companies in the region – including Newmont, which proposed the Yanacocha gold mine, Latin America’s largest gold mine, outside Cajamarca in 1993. The president of Peru, Ollanta Humala, publicly supported the Cajamarca locals’ opposition to the Conga mine as a presidential candidate and had stated, “the lagoons of Cajamarca are not for sale, because you can’t drink gold, and you don’t eat gold”. However, after being sworn into office on 28 July 2011, Humala later changed his stance and supported the building of the Conga mine, with the justification that Peru needs the project due to the profits and jobs it would generate. Mining makes up a substantial portion of the Peruvian economy, as mining accounts for about 60% of Peru’s export earnings.

Events

On the 24th of November 2011, an estimated 10,000 residents of Cajamarca (with a total population of about 200,000) marched through the city to protest the building of the Conga. Cajamarca state governor Gregorio Santos helped lead protest efforts. During the march, protesters clashed with riot police who tear-gassed and fired upon protesters, resulting in reportedly 17 injuries. Protesters also used boulders to blockade the main roads in the region. Some Cajamarca-area schools and businesses closed in protest. In the nearby region of Yanacocha, protesters also reportedly entered the Newmont-owned mine site there and destroyed a warehouse. Six days later, consruction was canceled, and the protested lasted another 5 days leading to a state of emergency declared by president Humala. Police continued to use tear gas and rubber bullets on protesters.

More protest marches occurred, and on the 9th of April, Protesters used rocks and tree trunks to barricade main roads through the area, blocking traffic for several hours. The construction of the mine resumes in late June 2012 and in response 2,000 protesters plan to storm city offices near the construction site and set fire to vehicles and attack government buildings, police kill several protesters and detain and beat several others. Several government ministers resign and construction is canceled on the 28th of August, 2012.

Results

The campaign led to the mine constructions being canceled.

See Also

• Puno Anti-Mine Movement