Special envoy.
“In Nueva Fuerabamba it is forbidden to die,” says Grimaldo Huachaca. The inhabitant of this modern community located in Chalhuahuacho-Apurímac shows several niches destroyed, damage attributed to the Choaquere community that claims these lands as their own.
The event, which seems like an anecdote, is the trigger for one of the most powerful social conflicts in the country that paralyzed MMG’s operations last Wednesday. This Chinese-owned company exploits Las Bambas, the mine that contributes 15% of copper exports. With the suspension of operations, the country loses more than S/ 5 million soles per day in uncollected taxes.
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Nueva Fuerabamba is a small town. The mining company built it in 2014 to relocate the Fuerabamba community that was settled on top of the copper reserves. It has 441 three-story homes, a market, an educational center, a health facility with an ambulance, paved streets, a stadium and a cemetery. A modern city residence, but empty.
New Fuerabamba. They were relocated to this residence. Photo: diffusion
Grimaldo Huachaca is waiting for us at the door. It is one of the few times that they allow the entrance of the press. Grimaldo explains why his countrymen abandoned the apparent comfort of these houses to invade the mining operation. Broken niches, destroyed toilets in the cemetery is the sign of the internal fights with the communities of Choaquere and Chila. These, two weeks ago, invaded free and planting areas. On the side of the urbanization, there are precarious plastic tents. These invaders claim these lands as theirs even though they are registered in the name of Nueva Fuerabamba.
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Grimaldo takes us to the Choaquere river. He complains about the quality of the water. “The mining company promised to bring us water from the puquios (springs), but it did not comply,” He says. That’s why they invaded. They want to recover the land they exchanged.
Las Bambas paralyzed
In the Takiruta area, owned by Las Bambas, some are already building their houses with sticks and adobe. “We don’t want the press here. They tell us anti-miners, that we only want money”, shout the residents.
Settled. Some build houses with adobe and sticks. Photo: diffusion
The president of the community, Edison Vargas, more cautious, insists that they want to recover their lands exchanged to the mining company. Nueva Fuerabamba is not a guarantee, the lands are claimed by Chila and Choaquere even though they are registered in the name of the community. They are not the only complaints.
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The manager of Legal Affairs of MMG Las Bambas, Claudio Cáceres, admits that only 66 points are pending, of the more than 200 reflected in the agreement. The community members assure that there are more than 100 unrealized ones.
This story goes back to 2011. That year, Fuerabamba handed over 4,774 hectares to build the mine. In exchange, the company bought 4,200 hectares distributed over five properties. In addition, it paid individual reparations for the houses and corrals that they demolished.
According to Cáceres, they were paid around S/ 600 million, up to more than one and a half million per incumbent community member. The legal advisor assured that since 2010 they have invested more than S/ 700 million in the Fuerabamba community with individual payments and social development projects. The community members deny that they have been paid those amounts. “Our parents received from S/ 50,000 soles for the corralitos,” replies Vargas.
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Fuerabamba stands firm and assures that they will only remove them dead from the area.
For former congressman from Apurimeño Edgar Villanueva, only a compliance audit will be able to reveal who is telling the truth. He severely questions the government and its role in this conflict. “You don’t have to be blind. What is wanted is to generate chaos in mining areas. Cuajone is not a coincidence, neither is Las Bambas”. The solution tables between the mining company and the communities start next Monday and Tuesday. The outcome remains to be seen.
Governor criticizes the government
The regional governor of Apurímac, Baltazar Lantarón, maintains that The central government did not worry about enforcing the commitments and even less acted opportunely to prevent the invasion of the mining company.
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The pro-government congressman Guido Bellido referred to the conflict on his social networks: “Urgent!
National copper company. The social conflicts in Cuajone and Las Bambas, force us to export our raw materials with added value, honest prices. Enough looting! No more miserable royalties! The true owner of the minerals is Peru”, he said.
