By Pearl Rimon
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

LIMA, Peru – Peru has been experiencing clashes for the last 18 months in the Cajamarca region. Four people were shot and killed and more than 20 wounded in the protests surrounding Newmont’s $5 billion Conga mine due to taking water away from the villages and farms.

“The only thing the people want is water for families, but the mining companies want to take it. And soldiers will kill if you get in the way”, said Adelaida Tabaco, the widow of a man killed in the most recent clash.

In order to build Conga, two lakes will be dug for the copper and ore while two other lakes will be filled with the debris from separating the metals from ore. Conga is projected to produce 680,000 ounces of gold and 106,000 tons of copper yearly.

The conflict spans the continent of South America, pitting South American governments paired with foreign companies against citizens who are at risk of losing their homes due to their water supply being used for industrial causes. South America is seeing a trend with leaders accelerating the approval of water-use projects like the Conga mine. Peru is on track to expand 6% in GDP this year due to gold, silver and copper mine investments.

The majority of Peru’s mines including Conga are located in the Andes where they experience nearly nonexistent rainfall from May to October. According to the UN, growing populations have decreased the amount of usable water per person by 1/5 since 1992 in Peru.

In the areas of the country where mines are expanding, the water supply is already in short supply according to the National Water Authority. The Peruvian government must spend $394 million on canals and reservoirs by 2016 for use during the annual water shortages that occur during the dry seasons.

The conflict over the limited water resources has become deadly. Since 2010, fifteen people have been killed in protests against the government for allowing mining companies to use the water resources. This water shortage has made it difficult for substantial farming to occur. The protests began in April 2010 against Southern Copper Corporation’s mine near the Chile-Peru border. This escalated the next year by two people dying in protests against water use by a Switzerland-based company’s mine.

The constant hostility due to the mining operations has been an issue for President Humala since his slight margin of victory in 2011.

People in the Andes area are already struggling with water shortage due to the rainfall being below average for two years.

 

For more information, please see:

Bloomberg News — South Americans Face Upheaval in Deadly Water Battles – 13 Feb 2013

Financial Times — Mining: Andean concessions – 05 Feb 2013

Vancouver Sun — Manthorpe: Peru battles widespread local hostility to mining projects – 03 Feb 2013

Human Rights Watch — Peru: Letter to Presidente Ollanta Humala – 20 September 2012

By Pearl Rimon
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America 

 

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina  —  The British Foreign Secretary William Hague, has accused the Argentine government of “bullying” and intimidating behavior towards residents of the Falkland Islands. The Falkland Islands are under British rule but Argentina has disputed since 1945. In June 2012, the Falkland Islands announced they would hold a referendum on its sovereignty status, scheduled for the upcoming month.

 

The Argentine government has refused to recognize the existence of the Falkland Islands, and refers to the islands as the Malvinas. The Argentine Foreign Minister, Hector Timerman refused a meeting with Hague due to the government not recognizing Falkland Islanders’ existence. Timerman held a press conference during his London visit and said “The Falklands islanders do not exist. What exists is British citizens who live in the Islas Malvinas. The United Nations does not recognise a third party in the conflict. It says there are just two parts – the UK and Argentina.”

The Falkland Islands have shown signs that they want to remain under British rule and reject Argentina’s sovereignty claim. Hague said “This is a community that is nearly 200 years old. They seem very determined to remain British. If there’s any chance they would change their minds, the approach by Argentina is completely counterproductive.

It only fortifies the islanders’ determination to stay British. It is only going to add to the decades and centuries that the Falklands will remain British.”

Timerman withdrew from a scheduled talk with Hague last week after Hague demanded that residents from the islands be represented in the sovereignty discussion. Timerman called the suggestion an ultimatum.

In response to Timerman’s withdrawal, Jan Cheek, representative of the Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands, said “We are disappointed, but hardly surprised. Argentina prefers to disregard our existence, rather than engage constructively with the people who have lived on the Falkland Islands for so many generations.”

Argentina considers people born in the islands to be Argentine citizens. Timerman guarantees that due to this status islanders have “all the social, civil, economic, political rights as any Argentinean citizens born in continental Argentina.”

Argentina’s claim for sovereignty of the Falkland Islands is led by their President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.

 

For further information, please see:

 

BBC News — William Hague: Argentina bullying Falklands – 10 Feb 2013

Voice of Russia — New outbreak of Falkland Islands (Malvinas) war – 8 Feb 2013

Sky News — Argentina: Falklands Islanders ‘Don’t Exist’ – 6 Feb 2013

 

By Brendan Bergh
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

LIMA, Peru – In an effort to curb the rampant violence against women experienced in Latin America, the Executive branch of the Peruvian government is proposing legislation in order to expand the definition to further protect its population. The submitted bill will amend the countries Law on Protection against Domestic Violence (LPDV) expanding the definition of violence to include coercion via sexual, physical, psychological and economic means.

According to independent estimates in Peru, 50% of women in urban areas have experienced at least one instance of physical or sexual violence, with that number rising to 69% in rural areas, and with 30 percent of women suffering some sort of psychological abuse as a result of their partners.

This new bill is just the next step that President Ollanta Humala’s fight to bring Peru into the 21^st Century. The National Parliament of Peru approved a bill that would modify the National Plan of Reparation in order to include compensation for survivors of sexual violence. This would allow those forced into prostitution, sexual slavery, survivors of sexual abuse and kidnappings that occurred in Peru’s violent wartime past. These victims will be allowed to seek compensation for any sexually based crimes that were forced upon.

The initiative to amend the LPDV would mean that any act or omission, directly or indirectly, produced between household members that could result in any type of impairment of physical, sexual or psychological or economic detriment would be punishable. Earlier domestic violence was hard to identify, with only immediately view able situations or evidence such as bruises was domestic violence easy to punish. Domestic violence has been known to affect not just the abused, but the health of children within violent households. Peruvian children whose mothers suffered from domestic violence tend to weigh less and are more likely to suffer from disease. Seeing as nearly 50% of women in Peru have reported some type of violence, these results have widespread meaning.

Economic violence would be classified as any attempt to coerce the autonomy a household, which would cause financial or property damage through loss, conversion, theft or destruction property of the partnership or owned by the victim.

The reasoning behind the amended bill works under the theory that actions of a sexual nature committed against someone against their consent or during times of duress, even without penetration constitutes a violation of human rights and an offense to human dignity.

With Peru’s less than impeccable past concerning women’s rights, this represents at least an attempt to curb the epidemic of gender inequality that haunts the Latin American country.

For more information, please see:

Gestion – Executive Proposes To Expand The Legal Definition Of Domestic Violence – 10 February 2013

Eval Central – Development That Works: The Costs Of Crime And Violence In Latin America And The Caribbean – 5 February 2013

Womankind – Peru Moves To Bring Justice For Women Survivors Of Sexual Violence During Conflict – 5 June 2012

United States Institute of Peace – Sexual Violence And Justice In Postconflict Peru – 1 June 2012

By Brendan Bergh
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

SANTIAGO, Chile – Discomfort rocks the already uneasy relations among in the South American continent. The Chilean government has felt the sting of embarrassment as a video surfaced early Wednesday morning of Chilean Marine Cadets jogging through town chanting what is being called, a ‘xenophobic’ chant. “Argentinos kill, fusilare Bolivian, Peruvian killeth,” the video echoes, or translated as “Kill Argentines, shoot Bolivians and slit the throats of Peruvians.”

The posted video was recorded by tourists visiting the coastal city of Las Salinas. Nearby the Naval Polytechnic Academy was busy, training the new batch of Chilean marines and technical soldiers for the new age. Late in the afternoon a group of ‘apprentices’ began trotting by in formation, led by a superior, chanting as they made their way to the city’s main attraction – a large flower clock tower – before returning to base.

Upon the videos dissemination via the internet the Navy immediately began the process of identification and within hours was able to identify all participants.  According to the Chilean Secretary of State, the event took place on January 28, at about 1600 hours. The Navy was almost immediately able to identify the 27 apprentices from the Academy Polytechnic, including the sergeant who was acting as an instructor.  According to reports, many of the 27 were engineering students, second year apprentices training in the mechanical field for senior technical positions before graduating as a marine. The Navy and Secretary of State were quick to denounce the apprentices actions emphasizing that “these practices are far from their doctrine” and believed that the songs were improvised to move along with the normal military marching songs.

But according to Internet users from twitter and social media, this may not have been a singular instance. While some came to the Academy’s defense, claiming that this was merely the isolated incident, others including a former graduate from the Polytechnic Academy explained that these chants are sung every day during their physical training. Another user managed to quote an allegedly missing line: “and we’ll drink their blood.”

Reeling back from the controversy, the secretary of state was quick to point out that while sanctions and punishments were to be leveled, it is currently unclear where blame should be associated with. Merely the recruits jogging and chanting, or their sergeant. Either way, the State Department will has stated that they establish an administrative inquiry within 20 days to determine possible sanctions.

For more information, please see:

La Nocion – The Chilean Navy Already Plans Xenophobic Chants Sanctions – 8 February 2013

Noticias Terra – Argentina Expressed “Discomfort” With Chilean Sailors Xenophobic Chants – 7 February 2013

Noticias Terra – Government And Xenophobic Chants: “Lyrics Are Offensive” – 7 February 2013

Latercera – Navy Report On Video Identifies Higher By Apprentices And Sets 20 Days To Assess Penalties – 7 February 2013

BBC – Chile Navy Investigates ‘Xenophobia’ In Video – 6 February 2013

By Brendan Oliver Bergh
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTA, Colombia – Peace talks have not stifled the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and as leaders continue to hammer out a peace agreement with the Colombian government in Cuba, loyalists soldiers have stepped their insurgent activities. Since the unilateral cease-fire ended last week, FARC armed forces have continued hit and runs strikers and begun kidnapping soldiers and contractors throughout the country.

Last April in a motion of good faith the FARC claimed to have released all government forces under its control. However this past effort seems to have ended, along with the oil contractors captured, FARC rebels have re-begun their efforts and started taking members of the armed forces as “prisoners of war.” FARC rebels vowed to keep capturing armed forces and started seizing military and armed forces, and begun by seizing two police patrolmen, the first in FARCs storied history of kidnapping dozens of politicians, police officers and armed forces.

These new resurgence of kidnapping could harm the FARC peace talks. While some lawmakers speculated that should the peace talks go successfully, they may take part in the national elections next year. However governmental terms require that they lay down their arms permanently, a feat that is unlike going to happen until the peace talks have concluded.

Even if there is peace with the FARC rebels, their reintegration into society is likely to be a sore sport for many civilians. Many still feel the sting and continue to be victims of these paramilitary groups as they integrate themselves within civilian society. Looking back many still cringe as members of the M-19 rebel group won 19 seats and the mayor ship of Bogota after they disarmed after an assault on the Palace of Justice.

Since in the end of the ceasefire FARC has started targeting military structures, oil infrastructure and the contractors associated with them. After a tense standoff on Thursday which left 6 insurgents and 5 soldiers dead, FARC agreed to release 3 oil workers they had kidnapped earlier that week. Of the actions President Juan Manuel Santos claimed “They’re increasingly weak. They Increasingly have to resort to acts demonstrating their weakness, to terrorist acts, and now to kidnappings.”

Despite these new kidnappings Colombia’s Chief negotiator, Humberto de la Calle claims that they would not stray from their negotiations.  However the possibility that the conflict will continue is a constant threat, de la Calle continued “We’re going to Havana to end the conflict, that is what we agreed. And if it’s not like that, they should tell us at once, so as not to waste the time of the government nor the Colombians.”

For more information, please see:

Semana – Crisis In Havana – 2 February 2013

Reuters – Colombia Rebels Free Oil Workers, 11 Killed In Combat – 31 January 2013

Reuters – Colombia Rebels Seize Three Oil Workers, Blow Up Energy Tower – 31 January 2013

Reuters – Colombia Sets Hurdles For FARC Rebels To Join Politics – 31 January 2013

Reuters – FARC Rebels Vow To Keep Capturing Colombian Security Forces – 30 January 2013