Water shortage at Cuajone mine could trigger clashes with community members

Workers at Southern Peru's Cuajone mine located in the Moquegua region are not going through their best days. After a group of community members took a dam in protest, thousands of families and services have been left without water for at least 50 days. This fact and the inaction of the Pedro Castillo government to resolve the conflict has led them to announce possible clashes with the Protestants in their attempt to regain their access to water.

On April 10, a government delegation composed of the Ministers of Energy and Mines, Carlos Palacios; of Justice and Human Rights, Félix Chero; and of Labor and Employment Promotion, Betssy Chávez; as well as the deputy minister of territorial governance of the PCM, Jesús Quispe traveled to Moquegua to hold a dialogue with the peasant community which took the Viña Blanca reservoir. However, attempts to reach an agreement failed at that time.

The Protestant group is asking for five billion dollars and 5% of the mining company's annual profits as compensation for land use. While discussing the possibilities of achieving a way out of the conflict, thousands of families are affected, a fact that caused the mine workers to give an ultimatum a couple of days ago so that Cuajone will have water in 24 hours “or there will be consequences”.

“We have mobilized and will continue to mobilize because of the desperation of our families and because of the cry of our children, because of the need to work, because they are already two months of indifferent movement that we know will continue to prolong without being required to return our vital resource”, a statement reads published by the union of mine workers.

CONCERNING SCENARIO

After hours, without a solution in sight and with the need for access to water, workers regret the government's attitude to this problem and do not rule out a possible confrontation with the community members. “The government is subject to the approval of the draft resolution by the community members or the company, if it is not adopted, there is no water for the Cuajone Mining Camp. [...] Water is a fundamental right, which is enshrined in the Political Constitution of Peru or do we not have the same rights as any other citizen? ”, notes a recent statement.

It was reported that the Office of the Attorney-General of the State contacted the workers asking them to “respect the laws and not to take justice into their own hands”. This call has been questioned on the grounds of a difference in treatment compared to peasant communities. “Did the Attorney General's Office make the same call to the community members to respect the laws and not to take justice into their own hands? Maybe we both don't have rights, obligations and responsibilities,” they replied.

The scenario they have to face for several days has motivated them to go to the Viña Blanca dam to open the water valves in order to supply their community. However, this could generate regrettable events. “The government, is waiting for a confrontation between neighborhoods, this could happen at any time because it did not apply the principle of authority and enforce the rule of law,” was the warning shared by the workers about their attempt to access water. It has recently been reported that additional time will be given to the government to find solutions to the complaints exposed.

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