NEWS

  • Two Die in Coca Protest Clashes

    29 August 2012

    An effort in late August to eradicate coca crops in Huallaga, central Peru, sparked protests in which two peasant farmers died. State officials involved in the operation, which began on 27th August, faced strong resistance from locals opposed to the destruction of the illegal crops. Residents claim that, due to the area's remote location and difficult terrain, coca cultivation represents one of the only viable means of generating income.

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  • Hundreds Need Treatment after Mining Spill

    15 August 2012

    At least two hundred people in the Ancash region needed medical treatment this month after being exposed to harmful substances when a copper pipeline burst. Those affected suffered symptoms including vomiting, headaches and nose bleeds, which were related to the inhalation of toxins in the days after the spill.

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  • Humala's 2nd Cabinet Reshuffle

    01 August 2012

    In a bid to boost his waning popularity in late July, President Humala embarked on his second cabinet reshuffle since assuming office. The most high profile casualty was former army officer Oscar Valdés, who was replaced as prime minister by Juan Jiménez, a lawyer and constitutional expert. 

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  • Zijin Moves to Restart Rio Blanco

    25 July 2012

    This month Chinese mining company stepped up efforts to restart a controversial copper project at Río Blanco, near Piura in northern Peru. The proposed project has been the source of an acrimonious dispute between the concession operator and local communities for a number of years.

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  • Ruling Favours Rights Violators

    23 July 2012

    In a ruling on 20th July the Supreme Court reduced the prison sentences of former spy-chief Vladimiro Montesinos and a number of other high ranking human rights violators. The decision has been widely criticised and will face legal challenge.

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  • 'Police Abuses' in Cajamarca

    05 July 2012

    Police in Cajamarca were reported to have beaten a number of prominent figures during demonstrations over the Minas Conga project. The first incident allegedly occurred on 21st June when Genoveva Gómez of the ombudsman’s office and Amparo Abanto of the National Human Rights Coordinator (an umbrella NGO) visited a police station in Cajamarca.

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  • Three Die in Conga Protest

    03 July 2012

    Clashes between police and locals protesting against the Minas Conga gold mine in Cajamarca, have left three dead and at least twenty injured. The violence occurred after reports emerged that Celendín Mayor Mauro Arteaga had expressed support for the mine, leading approximately 1,000 people to march on municipal buildings. 

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  • Majaz Protest Investigations Closed

    14 June 2012

    A court in Huancabamba has dismissed a wide variety of charges against 107 people involved in the 2005 demonstrations against Minera Majaz, a subsidiary of then British-owned mining firm Monterrico Metals. Those acquitted, including a number of peasant farmers and provincial politicians, had marched with thousands of others to the company’s mine site in Piura, northwest Peru, in August 2005.

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  • State of Emergency Declared in Espinar

    31 May 2012

    On 29th May the Humala administration declared a state of emergency in Espinar, southern Peru, following violent clashes between police and demonstrators. Protest organisers had hoped to highlight local concerns over the activities of Anglo-Swiss mining firm Xstrata, which is seeking to expand its operations in the region.

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  • Oil Firm Agrees to Clean Up Operations

    25 May 2012

    An oil firm engaged in a long-running dispute with indigenous communities in northern Peru last week yielded to demands to remedy environmental damage in its area of operations. Argentina’s Pluspetrol agreed to clean up a lake and connected waterways located near the communities of Pucacuro and Pavayacu in the Corrientes river basin, which had been heavily contaminated with oil.

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  • PSG Aims

    The Peru Support Group exists to promote social inclusion, sustainable development and the observance of human rights in Peru. To that end the PSG highlights shortcomings in observance of established norms, whether international or local in nature, in its research, advocacy and publications. In so doing, it underscores the relationships that exist within the political system, how institutions work, and the effectiveness of policies that aim to reduce poverty and inequality within the context of sustainable development.

  • Historical Overview

    Over the past century Peru has suffered a series of autocratic governments and a civil war in which nearly 70,000 people died. Many of the country's ongoing political and social problems are a legacy of its somewhat turbulent past. 

  • Human Rights

    Human rights violations were widespread during the twenty years after the initiation of armed conflict in 1980. Efforts to convict perpetrators since the war's end have made only limited progress. Today, concerns remain over the treatment of those engaged in social protest, particularly against strategically important investment projects.

  • Why join the PSG?

    • Keep up to date with latest news and developments in Peru
    • Learn about key issues of poverty, development and human rights in Peru
    • Support the work of the Peru Support Group

    Become a member