Protesters in Peru hold 65 cops, general hostage

[Judi Lynn]

Source: AFP

Protesters in Peru hold 65 cops, general hostage
18 Jun 2008, 0036 hrs IST,AFP

LIMA: Thousands of protesters demanding a greater share of economic benefits from mining operations overwhelmed riot police in southern Peru on Monday and took hostage 65 police and a general, mediators said.

Furious residents of Moquegua, a town 1,200km south of Lima, have conducted a weeklong road blockade to demand more from an economic boom that has enriched mining companies.

In a tense standoff about 20,000 people have converged on a cathedral where the hostages were being held.

The violence left about 60 people injured, including 13 — mostly female police officers — who were released by the demonstrators, Veronica Paredes, of the Peruvian ombudsman’s office which is seeking to negotiate an end to the violence, said.


Read more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/65_cops_held_hostage_in_Peru/rssarticleshow/3138969.cms

[Judi Lynn]

1. Peru police fire tear gas to free isolated cities

Peru police fire tear gas to free isolated cities
Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:32am EDT
By Terry Wade

LIMA, June 16 (Reuters) - Peruvian riot police fired tear gas and pushed back protesters on Monday to clear a week-long blockade in a top mining region that has stranded thousands without food or fuel, the government and radio said.

Up to 5,000 residents of Moquegua have seized roads, including Peru's main highway to Chile, and cut off access to a mine and smelter of global mining company Southern Copper (PCU.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)(SPC.LM: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), the country's largest copper producer, to demand their province receive a bigger share of taxes paid by the company.

The police went in as President Alan Garcia's chief of staff, Jorge del Castillo, reiterated pleas to local political leaders to negotiate an end to the stand-off and blamed left-wing political groups for rejecting a settlement.

Garcia faces mounting pressure to quickly bring the benefits of an economic boom to the poor. Delays could erode support for his free-market programs.

~snip~
Peru's poverty rate, while falling, is nearly 40 percent. Residents in provinces like Moquegua say the economic boom has passed them by, even as mining companies reap huge profits.

More:
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSN1647653120080616?rpc=401&

[Joanne98]

2. Southern Copper 136 dollars per share. Nationalize them....

and split the money! YAY
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=PCU

[Judi Lynn]

3. Peru mine protesters free police

Page last updated at 06:40 GMT, Wednesday, 18 June 2008 07:40 UK
Peru mine protesters free police
By Dan Collyns
BBC News, Lima

Protesters in a mining town in southern Peru have released 48 police officers they had been holding hostage after violent confrontations on Monday.

Some 20,000 demonstrators from Moquegua have been demanding a greater share of the taxes paid to the government by Peru's biggest copper producer.

The Catholic Church had given refuge to the men and they were released unharmed. They are now flying to Lima.

Among those held by the protestors was the chief of police in southern Peru.

Blockade

Twenty-four hours after they were taken hostage by angry protesters in Moquegua, 1,200km (750 miles) south of Lima, the 48 police officers were released safely.

Among them, the chief of police for southern Peru, Alberto Jordan, who was shown earlier on national television surrounded by a crowd, waving a white flag and apologising to the people.

More:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7460516.stm

[High Plains]

4. Somebody needs to do this to some of our cops.

Teach them to respect the citizenry.

[countryjake]

5. K&R!

[pleah]

6. K&R woohoo

[Judi Lynn]

7. Peru seals deal to end mining blockade

Peru seals deal to end mining blockade
Thu Jun 19, 2008 11:19am EDT
(Adds Ilo smelter, paragraphs 10-11)

By Terry Wade and Maria Luisa Palomino

LIMA, June 19 (Reuters) - Peru's government clinched a deal on Thursday to end a week-long blockade that has paralyzed a top mining region and caused food shortages, after marathon negotiations with leaders of the province of Moquegua.

Residents of Moquegua have occupied roads, including the main highway to Chile, and severed access to the Ilo smelter and Cuajone mine of Southern Copper Corp (SPC.LM: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)(PCU.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), Peru's largest copper miner, to demand that their province receive a bigger share of taxes paid by the company.

The blockade showed that President Alan Garcia faces mounting pressure to spread the wealth from a six-year economic boom to workers and the poor.

"We've reached an accord that ends the conflict and returns peace to the province of Moquegua and certainly means that the blockade will be lifted," Jorge del Castillo, Garcia's chief of staff, told reporters.

More:
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSN1945398120080619?rpc=401&