Peru: Maxima Acuña and Partner Attacked by Mining Firm's Guards

[Judi Lynn]

Peru: Maxima Acuña and Partner Attacked by Mining Firm's Guards





A subsistence farmer in Peru’s northern highlands, Maxima Acuña de Chaupe stood up for
her right to peacefully live off her own land. | Photo: 2016 Goldman Environmental Prize


Published 18 September 2016



. . .

Peru's internationally-renowned environmentalist Maxima Acuña and her partner were severely hurt Sunday morning in an attack by alleged hitmen hired by the mining company they are fighting against, reported Acuña's daughter.

At around 9.30 a.m. local time, “people hired by mining firm Yanacocha illegally broke into the property and started damaging the lot with various tools,” said Ysidora Chaupe, daughter of Acuña and Jaime Chaupe.

“When Maxima and Jaime approached them and demanded they stop invading the property, the mining firm's security staff violently attacked Maxima and Jaime, hitting Maxima in the head and body with a weapon, leaving her seriously hurt,” she added.

. . .

Acuña won the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize for stopping Yanococha, a subsidiary of U.S.-based mining giant Newmont, from constructing an open-pit gold mine that threatened to contaminate the water supply and cause water shortages for thousands of people living in this agricultural and cattle-rearing region.

More:
http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Peru-Maxima-Acuna-and-Partner-Attacked-by-Mining-Firms-Guards-20160918-0018.html

LBN:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141575789

[Mika]

1. Disgusting.

No words for this ugliness at the moment.