Peruvian Communities Speak Out On US Company's Environmental Problems

Posted: 16 December 2004

Oxfam’s partners and allies in Peru issued a statement in response to Doe Run’s request that the Peruvian government extend its January 2007 deadline for compliance with Program of Adjustments and Environmental Management (PAEM) by four years.

The statement below has been translated from the original Spanish version.

Currently, American-owned Doe Run operates a smelter in La Oroya, Peru that according to an independent study has contributed to nearly all of La Oroya’s 18,000 children having high lead levels. Farmers have claimed that acid rain, a byproduct of the smelter, has contaminated their pastures.

LA OROYA:

NO TO THREATS, YES TO HEALTH AND WORK

In the face of the serious violent events that occurred in La Oroya, the “La Oroya Health Movement” and the undersigned Institutions address the Peruvian Government and the national and international public opinion in order to express the following:

It is unacceptable that some officials and staff from the DOE RUN company promote a 48-hour strike and other actions oriented to block a road as important as the Central Highway, and by doing so, putting at risk the life of the workers, their spouses and the whole Town of La Oroya, with the purpose of achieving a delay until 2011 of the company environmental commitments, established in the “Program of Adjustments and Environmental Management (PAEM)" whose deadline is January 2007.
It is of concern that the Peruvian Government has unconstitutionally decided to yield to the pressures of the company that threatens to close the metallurgical complex if the delay of its PAMA is not approved, by pre-publishing a proposal of a Supreme Decree which breaks the State Rule of Law (Estado de Derecho), endangering by that the health of populations threatened by serious contamination as the population of La Oroya, in order to allow the extension of the deadline of the DOE RUN Peru PAEM and those of other mining companies that may request the same.
We demand that the Peruvian Government act conforming to the environmental protection norms in force. At the same time, we request that the Presidency of the Council of Ministers inform the population of La Oroya and the public in general about the repeated failure to execute the PAEM and the company’s refusal to submit technical and economical-financial information; actions that have lead the Ministry of Energy and Mines to fine the DOE RUN Peru at least twice and requested a financial guarantee in order to insure the fulfillment of the investments detailed in the PAEM.
We, “La Oroya Health Movement”, and the undersigned NGOs and Institutions demand the observance of the obligations and investments committed to by the company, as an effective guarantee of health and dignified labor. Therefore, in no form do we accept the closing of the metallurgical complex, an argument used by DOE RUN as a pressure mechanism against Human Rights.
We demand that the Government and Authorities conduct an exhaustive investigation to determine those responsible for the aggressions that occurred during the strike of the 6th and 7th days of December and that the necessary guarantees be given in order that the population of La Oroya which disagrees with the possible delay of the company’s PAEM can exercise their right to free speech and free assembly.

December 2004

Movimiento por la Salud de La Oroya
Red Uniendo Manos Contra la Pobreza
Grupo Andes
Cooperacción
Asociación Civil Labor
Red Nacional de Aire Saludable
Foro Ciudades para la Vida
Foro Ecológico
Sociedad Nacional del Ambiente
IPEMIN
VIDA
Red Muqui