By Robert Kozak
LIMA, Peru--Two days after President Ollanta Humala declared
martial law in parts of Peru's southern state of Arequipa, the
national police have detained protesters and reopened roads there
that were blocked for weeks by protests against a copper-mine
project known as Tia Maria.
The two-month state of emergency allows police to break up
meetings and enter into homes without search warrants in those
parts of Arequipa, where residents want Southern Copper Corp.
(SCCO, SCCO.VL) to end the $1.4 billion project.
"Roads have been reopened and movement is no problem," a police
spokeswoman said. Peru's military has also been guarding sites such
as bridges and road tunnels.
Southern Copper declared a 60-day suspension of the project on
May 15, but protests continued as farmers believe a mine will harm
their water supplies in the Tambo Valley, about 650 miles south of
Lima.
"The people are going to continue to resist any mine. They are
stubborn. The people in Arequipa are that way," said Miguel
Portugal, a social activist in the Tambo Valley region.
Antimine activists have announced they plan to hold protest
marches in various parts of southern Peru on Wednesday and
Thursday.
"We are taking precautions, and we hope that there won't be any
major incidents, but we have to be prepared for any kind of
aggression," Interior Minister Jose Perez Guadalupe was quoted as
saying by government news agency, Andina.
Three protesters and one policeman have died in the clashes
since March 23, when residents started blocking roads and
bridges.
The protests have harmed President Humala's popularity, driving
it down to 21%, pollsters say. A survey by consultant Apoyo
Consultoria found that 94% of business leaders believe the
government doesn't have a clear strategy for ending the
conflict.
Protesters say a mine will harm farming by contaminating water
from the Tambo River, used to irrigate rice, bananas and other
crops. The company plans to pump desalinated water from the nearby
Pacific ocean and says the mine won't harm agriculture.
Southern Copper, majority owned by Mexico's Grupo Mexico
(GMEXICO.MX), plans to dig out 120,000 metric tons of copper a year
starting in mid-2017.
"We regret the loss of lives, condemn all acts of violence and
call for peace," a Southern Copper spokesman said Monday in an
email.
Other disputes have caused delays in mining projects in recent
years in Peru, including the $5 billion copper and gold-mine
project known as Minas Conga, majority owned by Denver-based
Newmont Mining Corp. (NEM).
Peru is one of the world's largest producers of gold, silver,
copper, zinc and other minerals.
Write to Robert Kozak at robert.kozak@wsj.com
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