Arrest of Marco Arana

Marco Arana, the leader of the movement against CONGA (a giant mining project which is threatening to drain the lakes supplying groundwater in the region of Cajamarca) was arrested on 4th July.

The “CONGA no Va” movement was presented in a “Right to Water” workshop session at FAME (Françoise Chambeu) and in a “Water and Extractivism” workshop (Raquel Neyra).

This arrest is an attempt to bring down and weaken the social and environmental movement in Peru whose main claim is the defense of water… It emanates from a government that was elected a year ago and which claimed to be from the left and close to the social movements. When it involves water and extractivism, progressive governments often behave in the same way as the most reactionary governments.

Marco Arana and the others arrested on the 4th July were released on 5th July. However since 2nd July, 5 people fighting for water justice have been assassinated by the Peruvian government in the cities of Celendin and Bambamarca near CONGA.