Thaindian News

Lima, Dec 5 (IANS) Peruvian President Ollanta Humala has declared a state of emergency following massive rallies against a multi-billion-dollar mining project in the north of the country.

Humala announced late Sunday that the emergency would take effect at midnight Sunday and continue for 60 days, reported Xinhua.

Under the emergency measures, civil liberties would be restricted and arrests without warrants would be allowed in four provinces of Cajamarca region.

Out of fear for their water supply, local peasants have staged violent protests against a Conga mining project worth $4.8 billion operated by US-based mining giant Newmont.

The protests led to the closure of the airport in the city of Cajamarca last week, and clashes between police and protesters have left dozens injured.

The project, which involves moving the water from four lakes high in the mountains into reservoirs the company would build, has been opposed by local peasants as well as local officials in Cajamarca, who led the protests.

Fearing its possible negative effects on the quality and quantity of their water supply, they have demanded a new study of the environmental impact of the mine.

Humala has voiced support for the Conga project and criticized local leaders for their “intransigence”.

As Peru’s dairy and livestock region, Cajamarca has been afflicted by a drought, which has forced water rationing for three months.

A mining-dependent economy, Peru earns more than 60 percent of export income from mining.