COCACHACRA, Peru (AP) – A respite imposed by martial law after nearly two months of violent anti-mining protests has allowed farmers in a fertile coastal valley of southern Peru to get back to the crops they were neglecting.
Most say they are more than happy to sacrifice the current crop if it means preventing Mexico’s biggest mining company from going ahead with a copper extraction project that farmers fear will contaminate the Tambo Valley.
“Here life is peaceful. He who works, even if he lacks an education, gets ahead. Why would we want a mine?” Domingo Condori said while taking a break from harvesting rice.
Farmers like Condori earn about $4,000 an acre on the crop, which has two growing seasons.
The government suspended civil liberties late last month as President Ollanta Humala sent in 2,000 soldiers to restore order in the valley, whose 47,000 residents are mostly farmers. Under the decree, public gatherings are illegal and security forces can search homes and make arrests without warrants.