E-mail action
Write an e-mail to the Peruvian government, supporting the demands of the protest movement. Copy and paste the Spanish text below into an e-mail message and send it to the mentioned addressees, signing with your name. Below you also find the English translation. Don’t forget to send us a copy and share the letter with your friends! Thanks!
To: secretariageneral@presidencia.gob.pe, atencionciudadana@pcm.gob.pe, webmaster@minem.gob.pe, webmaster@minam.gob.pe
Cc: congaeuropa@gmail.com
Subject: Conga no va!
Estimado Sr. Ollanta Moisés Humala Tasso, Presidente de la Repúbica de Perú
Estimado Sr. Oscar Eduardo Valdés Dancuart, Presidente del Consejo de Ministros
Estimado Sr. Manuel Pulgar Vidal Otálora, Ministro de Ambiente
Estimado Sr. Jorge Merino Tafur, Ministro de Energía y Minas
Quiero expresar mi apoyo a las demandas siguientes vinculadas al proyecto Minas Conga en Cajamarca, adelantadas por los caminantes de la Gran Marcha Nacional por el Agua y la Vida:
1. Conga no va
Con sus 4,8 billón dolares el proyecto Conga es la principal inversión minera del Perú. Pero el proyecto amenaza los recursos hídricos en Cajamarca, afectará las cabeceras de cuenca de varios ríos y quebradas y destruirá el sistema complejo de cuatro lagunas altoandinas y sus bofedales. Por eso, el pueblo y las autoridades de Cajamarca piden que el gobierno Peruano declare el proyecto Conga inviable.
2. El agua es un derecho humano
El acceso al agua potable y el saneamiento son derechos humanos, derechos que son esenciales para la realización de todos los demás derechos humanos, puesto que, sin agua no hay vida. Sin embargo, el estado Peruana no reconoce el agua como derecho humano en la legislación actual. Aún peor, el derecho de acceso al agua sigue siendo vulnerado por la realización de actividades que destruyen las fuentes naturales de agua y la contaminan, como es también el caso con el proyecto Conga. El Congreso de la República debe modificar la Constitución para permitir que el agua potable saludable y el saneamiento, sean reconocidos como un derecho humano fundamental así como también que la provisión del agua no sea privatizada.
3. Prohibición de minería en cabeceras de cuenca y glaciares
El Perú es uno de los países más vulnerable al cambio climático. La costa árida depende altamente de las descargas de agua de glaciares y humedales, particularmente durante la larga temporada seca. En los últimos 30 años, el país ya ha perdido 22 por ciento de su área de glaciares, incrementando el estrés hidrológico. Exigimos por ello, que se promulguen leyes que prohíban la minería en las cabeceras de cuenca , zonas vulnerables ambientalmente, y en zonas de glaciares, que se están derritiendo rápidamente por efectos del cambio climático.
4. Prohibición de minería con cianuro y mercurio
Tanto la pequeña como la gran minería, se han vuelto actividades químicas de alto riesgo ambiental, puesto que utilizan inmensas cantidades de sustancias altamente tóxicas que envenenan el planeta y, de manera particular, nuestras aguas, suelos y aires, poniendo en serio peligro nuestra salud y la de las generaciones futuras. En su proceso de extracción, la gran minería produce mercurio, ya que este metal tóxico se encuentra frecuentemente junto a los depósitos de oro como ocurre, mientras que la minería ilegal utiliza, sin control, grandes cantidades de mercurio que, en algunos lugares de la sierra, sobre todo en la Amazonía, están generando gravísimos daños ambientales. Se debe prohibir inmediatamente la minería con cianuro y mercurio.
5. Moratoria de concesiones mineras
El Perú ha sido parcelado en cuadrículas para ser concesionadas a empresas mineras y petroleras. Bajo la legislatura de Alan García se llegó a concesionar el 72% de la Amazonía y más de 20 millones de hectáreas del territorio nacional ya han sido concesionadas a empresas mineras. La concesión termina otorgando derechos de primacía a sus titulares, los que luego buscan imponerse sobre el propietario del suelo superficial o terminan presionando y corrompiendo autoridades para acceder a los recursos del subsuelo. Es necesario contar con una Ley que declare la moratoria de todas las concesiones mineras y que el gobierno proceda a la revisión de las mismas para que no sigan siendo fuente de conflictos.
6. Derecho a laconsulta a los pueblos
En Septiembre 2011, el presidente promulgó la ley de consulta previa, libre e informada. Ahora su Reglamento está en proceso de elaboración y aprobación. Se requiere que el reglamento de la ley de consulta que se va a promulgar próximamente, cautele realmente los derechos territoriales de los pueblos indígenas y las comunidades campesinas, y que además se formulen leyes de consulta previa a todos los pueblos que van a ser afectados por proyectos mineros o petroleros.
Atentamente,
(nombre y apellido/name)
(país/country)
Translation
Dear Mr. Ollanta Moisés Humala Tasso, President of the Republic of Peru,
Dear Mr. Oscar Eduardo Valdés Dancuart, Prime Minister,
Dear Mr. Manuel Pulgar Vidal Otálora, Minister of the Environment,
Dear Mr. Jorge Merino Tafur, Minister of Energy and Mines,
I hereby want to express my support for the following demands related to the Minas Conga mining project in Cajamarca, of the broad coalition of Peruvian civil society organizations, regional and local authorities and communities:
1. Inviability of the Minas Conga project
With USD 4,8 billion, the Conga project is the biggest investment in Peru mining ever. It will include two open pits, two waste rock dumps and a giant toxic tailings deposit. However, the project threatens water resources in Cajamarca, as it will disturb the headwaters of several rivers and destroy a system of four high-Andean lakes and bogs. Therefore, the people and authorities of Cajamarca want the Peruvian government to declare the project inviable.
2. Constitutional recognition of the right to water.
Having access to safe drinking water and sanitation is a human right, essential to upholding all other human rights and to life itself. However, the right to water is not yet recognized as such in Peruvian legislation. Even worse, the right to water is further weakened by activities, like the Conga project, destroying and contaminating natural water sources. To strengthen the right to water, Congress should change the constitution in order to recognize drinking water and sanitation as a human right.
3. Legal ban on mining activities in headwaters and glacier zones.
Peru is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change. The arid coast area depends largely on glacial and wetland run-off for its water supply, especially during the long dry season. In the past 30 years, the country has lost 22 percent of its glacier area, increasing hydrological stress. Therefore headwaters and glacier zones should urgently be protected, and mining activities in these zones banned.
4. Legal ban on mining techniques using cyanide and mercury.
Mining uses huge amounts of toxic chemicals, contaminating the environment and putting at risk the health of current and future generations. The extraction process of gold and other ores in large scale mining facilities involves huge amounts of cyanide, while heavy metals like mercury, found alongside the valuable ores in the minerals, are often released as byproducts. Large quantities of mercury are also used in illegal mining operations, particularly in the Amazon. Mining techniques using cyanide and mercury should be immediately banned, as is the case in several other countries.
5. Moratorium on all existing mining concessions.
More than 20 million hectares, almost 19 per cent of the Peruvian territory, has been concessioned to mining, oil or gas companies, up from 7 per cent in 2005. This rapid expansion has generated many conflicts, as surface owners, local authorities and communities, ignored during the granting process, increasingly find themselves subjected to pressure from mining companies. In order to avoid further conflicts, the government should freeze and review all existing mining concessions.
6. Right to previous consultation for all citizens.
In September 2011, Mr. Humala issued a law on the previous consultation of indigenous peoples and farmer communities. The decree implementing the law is still under discussion. While it is of utmost importance that this decree effectively safeguards the territorial rights of indigenous peoples and farmers communities, the right to previous consultation should in fact be expanded to all citizens that will be affected by mining, oil or gas projects.
Yours sincerely,
(name)
(country)
I hereby want to express my support for the following demands related to the Minas Conga mining project in Cajamarca, of the broad coalition of Peruvian civil society organizations, regional and local authorities and communities:
1. Inviability of the Minas Conga project
With USD 4,8 billion, the Conga project is the biggest investment in Peru mining ever. It will include two open pits, two waste rock dumps and a giant toxic tailings deposit. However, the project threatens water resources in Cajamarca, as it will disturb the headwaters of several rivers and destroy a system of four high-Andean lakes and bogs. Therefore, the people and authorities of Cajamarca want the Peruvian government to declare the project inviable.
2. Constitutional recognition of the right to water.
Having access to safe drinking water and sanitation is a human right, essential to upholding all other human rights and to life itself. However, the right to water is not yet recognized as such in Peruvian legislation. Even worse, the right to water is further weakened by activities, like the Conga project, destroying and contaminating natural water sources. To strengthen the right to water, Congress should change the constitution in order to recognize drinking water and sanitation as a human right.
3. Legal ban on mining activities in headwaters and glacier zones.
Peru is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change. The arid coast area depends largely on glacial and wetland run-off for its water supply, especially during the long dry season. In the past 30 years, the country has lost 22 percent of its glacier area, increasing hydrological stress. Therefore headwaters and glacier zones should urgently be protected, and mining activities in these zones banned.
4. Legal ban on mining techniques using cyanide and mercury.
Mining uses huge amounts of toxic chemicals, contaminating the environment and putting at risk the health of current and future generations. The extraction process of gold and other ores in large scale mining facilities involves huge amounts of cyanide, while heavy metals like mercury, found alongside the valuable ores in the minerals, are often released as byproducts. Large quantities of mercury are also used in illegal mining operations, particularly in the Amazon. Mining techniques using cyanide and mercury should be immediately banned, as is the case in several other countries.
5. Moratorium on all existing mining concessions.
More than 20 million hectares, almost 19 per cent of the Peruvian territory, has been concessioned to mining, oil or gas companies, up from 7 per cent in 2005. This rapid expansion has generated many conflicts, as surface owners, local authorities and communities, ignored during the granting process, increasingly find themselves subjected to pressure from mining companies. In order to avoid further conflicts, the government should freeze and review all existing mining concessions.
6. Right to previous consultation for all citizens.
In September 2011, Mr. Humala issued a law on the previous consultation of indigenous peoples and farmer communities. The decree implementing the law is still under discussion. While it is of utmost importance that this decree effectively safeguards the territorial rights of indigenous peoples and farmers communities, the right to previous consultation should in fact be expanded to all citizens that will be affected by mining, oil or gas projects.
Yours sincerely,
ward
Belgium
There’s no planet B.