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Peru: Strike in Espinar (Cusco) resumes, protesters block roads

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The Strike Committee and the Frente de Defensa de Espinar (Front for Defense of the Interests of Espinar District) did not accept the proposal made by the Prime Minister Javier Velásquez Quesquén, and resumed their strike, announcing they will take more radical actions, breaking the truce they had agreed  upon.

The Espinar people do not agree with the projected usage of the waters of the Apurimac River in favor of draft-Siguas Majes II, so they are against the construction of the Angostura Dam, which (according to the villagers) would damage their water supply.

Apart from halting activities in the city, protesters are taking control of bridges, and currently more than 3,000 people are blocking the road Arequipa-Juliaca, according to La Republica.

According to Nestor Cuti, representative of the Frente de Defensa de Espinar, they are expecting that more than 15,000 people are to join the protests (which started on November 9th) today.

Cuti claims that the projected Angostura Dam would run the river dry, which is their only source of water for agricultural and for human consumption as well.

“At present we have water supply only two hours a day. If this  dam is built, we will not have water at all,” he said.

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# Road Block Blood Bath says :
November 20, 2009 [ 13:27 ]

Its fun to try to figure out what is really going on here ,,reading from RPP and LIP news items,,   then looking on googel earth,
the english translation is lacking a few words here n there.
People in Espinar dept of cusco or Yauri city are upset due to water issues, or lack of water issues and threat of future lack of water.
Epinar is in the far cornor of Cusco Dpt,, the dirt road goes through from Sicuani (cusco) to Colca Caynon entrance then on to join aslfault road to Arequipa.. it was the old way to get from Arequipa to Cusco, as well Lima to Cusco some may remember was 3 day bus ride...
A new water plan ready to start work, is to dam a river in Cusco Prov Espinar dpt to run all the way to Arequipa.  All aproved n ready to start.
Where the the nice new highway that goes Juliaca to Arequipa is 150km in direct line away from Espinar in Cusco Providance.  As well is mostly above 4000m ASL. This is part of the Trans Ocianica highway where buses and cargo trucks travel.
As it is writen we can understand this news item to say:  the 3000 people from Dpt Espinar Cusco, are blocking the road  Juliaca to Arequipa and traveled 150km to do so?  And they say that 15,000 will be coming. 
Why did they not protest before the Aproval? And  why are they blocking a Highway far from their Home.  What About the National law making Road Blocks Illagal.
 As well   who is paying all this to transport the people to the road block?
Is this going to end Up like Baugua? a bloud bath?

# JC says :
November 20, 2009 [ 13:48 ]

Is it that hard to dialogue instead of blocking roads and summoning people to make noise.

# mericorps says :
November 20, 2009 [ 14:32 ]

I agree with the right of anyone to protest and I think they have a good reason to protest and should protest.

I wish they would not be so stupid about it, hurt all the wrong people and loose the support of the general public by being abusive and violent.

It will, in the end, be their loss.

# JC says :
November 20, 2009 [ 15:03 ]

I totally agree with you mericorp, it is okay to protest when you have bases to do so, but there is also a right way to do it.

# Martin says :
November 20, 2009 [ 21:40 ]

In my six years of living in Peru, I have observed that these sorts of demonstrations is the only way local people get what they want.
It is the same near Lima, in the areas of "invasions", when the people want clean air, water and sanitation. Who pays for all of this is another question?
In my opinion, Peru is a country without a realistic taxing system to pay for what all the "poor" people want. So it is everyone for him/herself regardless of the economic situation of the people making demands on the government.

# Luna says :
November 21, 2009 [ 21:41 ]

They have to make their voices heard in any possible way.  If they have to block the roads, I applaud them because that is one way that our government might listen to them.

Why they didn't protest before the approval???? because more likely they ignored everything that our central government were planning to do. 

Paz y Amor in our Planet!!!

Luna

# HD says :
November 23, 2009 [ 9:41 ]

UNBLOCK THE BLOODY ROADS!!!!!!!!!!!

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