Garcia's misstep (La Opinión)

[struggle4progress]

The recent events in Peru between Alan García’s government and the indigenous peoples of the Amazon region illustrate the difficulties in combining natural resources development with respect for the traditions and rights of various ethnic groups.

In this case, the government took a strictly constitutional approach to establish its control over millions of hectares of jungle which have the potential for petroleum exploitation. In Peru, as in many countries, the subsoil is not private property, and as such, the government unilaterally issued decrees distributing land and water rights without consulting those affected by these decisions. It would seem that García was more concerned with adhering to the environmental clauses of the free trade agreement with the United States than in communicating with indigenous representatives.

The result of this approach is plain to see. The lack of consultations prior to issuing the decrees sparked a wave of protests that were violently repressed, leaving at least 33 dead.

This has led to the suspension of the decrees and widespread condemnation of Alan García’s government ...

http://www.impre.com/laopinion/opinion/2009/6/13/garcias-misstep-129868-1.html