Indigenous groups reject "consultation" by Government and Minera Afrodita in northern Peru
Published by MAC on 2010-12-13Source: Servindi
On November 19, the newspaper La Republica reported that the Peruvian Ministry of Energy and Mines held a public hearing to inform the Mamayaque community of a mining project along the Cordilera del Condor, where concessions are held by Minera Afrodita company (subsidary of Dorato Resources).
The public hearing was convened by the indigenous organisation, Awajun Coordinator. The government explained the project, the environmental studies, and citizen participation.
According to La Republica, 150 community members attended the meeting; it ended well and community members had a chance to ask question and make comments. See: http://www.larepublica.pe/19-11-2010/informan-comunidad-de-mamayaque-sobre-proyectos-de-exploracion-minera-en-la-cordillera-de
However, the indigenous organisasation ODECOFROC, the regional organisation of AIDESEP, met on November 26 also in the Mamayaque community, and denounced the existence of the organisation Awajun Coordinator as "illegitimate" and non representative.
In addition, ODECOFROC reminded the public that Minera Afrodita is entering their community illegally.
Below is a statement from ODECOFROC; to download the statement in pdf - http://www.servindi.org/pdf/Congreso_ODECOFROC.pdf
Statement Concerning Unknown Awajun Congress Coordinator And Illegal Entry Of Aphrodite Mining Claim
Servindi
3 December 2010
The Ordinary Congress of the Organization of Native Communities Development Cenepa Border (ODECOFROC) told Awajún Coordinator (AC) is false organization that is not part of indigenous communities.
The ruling states that the Coordinator is formed by a group of individuals with unfair interests and are detached from their people.
The ODECOFROC states that "the AC does not exist in the organizational structure of the indigenous peoples of the Amazon north of the country or its national structure and has never been established within the indigenous peoples."
The organization is directed by Octavio Shacayme Huahua, who has a bad record as a public official when he worked in local government. At present, live in any indigenous community.
The AC is linked, say, with the mining company Aphrodite to illegally enter the communities and operate in the Cordillera del Condor.
Indigenous communities also report that Alfonso Salcedo, an official of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers (PCM) and advisor to the AC ordered the district governor of the Cenepa, Jonathan Juwau Bijuch, to manage security for SENCICO representatives, Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM), Ministry of Environment (MINAM), the Embassy of Spain and a Colonel EP de Piura.
However, at no time reported that the mine attended by representatives of Aphrodite, so that the company entered the native community Mamayaque surreptitiously and supported by the government through the PCM.
In the document, the ODECOFROC says that representatives of the company conducted an informative workshop and to sign a certificate to the villagers and thus justify the continued violation of the right to consultation.