Locals from Cañaris, in Lambayeque region, have announced that in the next few days they will resume their protests against the Cañariaco mining project, under development by the Candente Copper mining company, after hearing that drilling work will begin again in the zone.
Richard Rinza Lucero, a member of the community, said that the Canadian company had made public the re-start of exploration work in the region and placing under threat the natural resources they the community have always defended.
“We have already scheduled a public meeting in the Cañaris zone for February 17th. Our position continues to be the same, that of outright rejection of any activity that threatens our resources. Tomorrow we will resolve at a meeting what means of protest we will take”, he told RPP Noticias.
Equally, Cristobal Barrios, the recently elected regional president of the rural ‘rondero’ committee, said that the first issue to analyze will be that of mining concessions, particularly those in the Andean zone.
“I believe that locals, and now with even more energy, will re-start this struggle. We will continue to defend that which is ours, the mining problem cannot continue affecting our people”, he said.
Both were clear in saying that the round table working groups (last year between government, company and locals) did nothing to help solve the environmental and social conflict that has been generated and had placed under threat the tranquility of Andean communities in the Lambayeque region.