Fury over funerals of protesters in Peru

Protesters were killed during clashes with police over a gold mine project.

Funerals have been held for anti-mining protesters killed during two days of clashes with police in the Peru’s Cajamarca region.  

The clashes led the Peruvian government to declare a state of emergency and to mobilise the military to support police operations in three northern provinces. 

Peru’s government is determined to forge ahead with the planned $4.8bn gold mine by US-based Newmont, but people living nearby appear just as determined to resist it.

Protesters have said the mining project will pollute the area’s lakes and rivers, contaminating water supplies.

Demonstrators continued to voice their anger at Ollanta Humala, the Peruvian president, during the funerals, saying the president had promised to save two lakes that would be drained in order to make way for the mining project.

Al Jazeera’s Mariana Sanchez reports from Celendin.

Source: Al Jazeera