At least two dead in Peru mining protest: Hospital

[Judi Lynn]

Apr 8, 2011
At least two dead in Peru mining protest: Hospital

LIMA - AT LEAST two people were killed and 41 others wounded on Thursday in the second deadly clash this week between Peruvian police and protesters opposing a copper mining project, hospital officials said.

The demonstrations were organised against a plan by Southern Copper, owned by Grupo Mexico, to develop the Tia Maria mine in southern Peru. They say the company will pollute the environment and take over their water resources.

At the Arequipa regional hospital in southern Peru, doctor Rosemery Ocola told AFP that a protester died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Earlier, a 22-year-old man died after being wounded in the abdomen during a demonstration in the town of Mollendo, near the Islay province. Six police officers were wounded when protesters threw rocks at them, police said. On Monday, another 22-year-old man was killed during a clash with police.

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/World/Story/STIStory_654388.html