Río Blanco: Concerns About Mining
A proposal for a $1.4 billion copper mine in the environmentally fragile cloud forests of northern Piura, Peru, has local farmers, and civil society organizations concerned about pollution to the area’s rivers and wildlife habitats for endangered species.
Background
The citizens of three municipalities in the Río Blanco region held a referendum in September 2007 in which the 17,000 of the 18,000 voters who participated cast ballots against having a mine in their community. Nevertheless, the Majaz Mining company and the government of Peru are determined to move ahead with the project, despite the fact that they failed to get the required permission from the communities before exploring for minerals.
The situation in Río Blanco is raising concerns about the rights of agricultural communities to have adequate information about social and environmental impacts of mining, and have their voice respected in the ongoing dialogue with the government.
What Oxfam is Doing
Oxfam International’s work to support communities affected by mining includes grants for:
- An environmental, economic and social impact study of the proposed mining project. Information such as this will help community members make decisions about whether they want mines to operate on their lands based on independent sources of information.
- Travel costs for the Peru Support Group to visit the area, conduct an investigation on the case, and publish a report in Spanish and English.
- Support for civil society organizations and communities to hold the referendum on September 16, 2007, as a means to help the community members exercise their right to be heard on this crucial issue.
