Radio Mundo Real

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20 de febrero de 2015 | | | | |

Demonstrations in Pichanaki against Pluspetrol prompt bills against laws that violate indigenous rights

Peruvian Congress members, the Pact of Unity, which gathers indigenous and peasant organizations of the country and several social organizations submitted bills to repeal a law and a decree that according to them violate the rights of indigenous organizations which are recognized by international regulations.

The Congress members are Veronika Mendoza and Juan Pari. On February 13, both representatives and the social organizations held a press conference to express their rejection to Law 30230 and Decree 001-02015-EM. And they took the opportunity to present their repeal bills.

According to them, these regulations weaken procedures in order to promote mining investments, they violate the Right to Prior Consultation of Indigenous and Native Peoples and international agreements such as Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization (ILO), also on the rights of indigenous peoples. Now, the social organizations are planning to submit an unconstitutionality appeal.

Real World Radio interviewed the leader of the National Agrarian Confederation of Peru (CNA) and of the Pact of Unity, Antolin Huascar, to know more about this issue.

One of the most pressing issues according to Huascar is the conflict on the territories when companies violate the rights of local communities. On February 11, inhabitants of Pichanaki city, in Junin region, demonstrated to demand the exit of Argentinian oil company Pluspetrol. The police attacks resulted in the death of Ever Perez Huaman (25) and over 30 injured people.

The local population is demanding the government to cancel its exploration agreement with Pluspetrol because this is an agricultural area and they want to avoid the pollution caused by the company in four other basins of Loreto region, where there are also conflicts with indigenous communities. The Mining and Energy Minister, Eleodoro Mayorga, stated on Sunday that they would notify Pluspetrol to demand them to leave Pichanaki.
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