From the Blue Community FEDIP – Peruvian Front for the Defence of the Environment and Human Rights:
STATEMENT FROM THE SAN MARCOS DEFENCE FRONT.
We, the San Marcos Defence Front, wish to inform the people, the authorities and the international community that our organisation’s efforts have been comprehensive, involving not only San Marcos, but also the people of Huarmey and the rural community of Huaripampa, whose complaints and disputes have been taken into account by the UN through the complaints lodged by their leaders.
Throughout this process, we have worked across the entire jurisdiction, achieving a historic milestone: the recognition of seven UN special rapporteurs, who have formally taken up our case against the Antamina company. This international support is a decisive achievement in our struggle.
It is now essential to emphasise that our focus is on reclaiming the ponds and water sources at the headwaters, so that we can build dams to guarantee access to drinking water, not only in San Marcos but throughout the entire jurisdiction of Conchucos, thereby securing this right for future generations.
In the coming days, we will hold meetings with the ambassadors of Switzerland and Canada, who will support us in formalising the process, taking our demands to international diplomatic bodies. This support reinforces the guarantee of a future in which our rights are respected.
Our commitment is to seek redress for those affected by pollution, to defend human and fundamental rights, the labour rights of the people of San Marcos, and to guarantee water as an essential right. We will continue to fight, with the law as our ally, until we achieve justice, dignity and sustainable development for San Marcos and Conchucos.
