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With the Tambogrande mine threat getting renewed — amidst the occupation of a mine in Puno and a fraudulent referendum in Michiquillay — it’s back to business as usual in Peru.

The Peruvian mining company Arasi has announced it plans to reactivate the Tambogrande gold mine project in the Piura Region of northwestern Peru. The mine was closed in 2003, after 14 years of struggle on part of one local community.

Previously headed by Canadian-based Manhattan Minerals, the Tambogrande mine threatened to displace 16,000 people, 70 percent of the community, and possibly damage …

A popular consultation (referendum) was held in Peru last week, drawing out some 7500 people from the Province of Candarave to vote on whether or not they would support the initiation of new mining activities in the region—and if they would agree to the use of underground water resources for those mining activities.

Despite an effort by one mining company (Southern Copper,a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico) to illicit a YES vote, the People of Candarave made their voice abundantly clear. 90 percent of the participants voted “NO” to both questions… …

A popular referendum was held in Peru on Sunday to vote on the future of the Río Blanco mining project. The project, which was up until recently owned by the London-based mining company Monterrico Metals, has already shown to have caused damages in the area of development. Local communities say it is a threat to the rivers which they depend on, and that the company itself has been operating illegally on their community-owned lands.

More than 31,000 people showed up to participate in the referendum. The outcome–reminiscent of another …

In recent months there have been major concerns with Nisgaa Treaty, Lheidli Tenneh Treaty, and Tsawwassen Treaty. Each of these are in their own right threatening to the respective Nations (regardless of anything that speaks to the contrary. The presence of good does not mean the absence of bad.) — but it’s not just the treaties which are a concern.

There’s also concern with what the proponents of these treaties are doing to have them ratified. They are using coercion, bribery, and deceit — effectively molesting the people so they can get their way. …

BELOW: a press release of the Ixcán Community Development Council after a legally binding municipal referendum voted 90% ‘NO’ to big business hydro-electric dam and oil “development” projects. From Rights Action.

IXCÁN VOTES TO REJECT XALALA DAM AND OIL EXPLORATION
(translation by www.nisgua.org)

On April 20, 2007, the people of Ixcán, Quiché overwhelmingly rejected two types of proposed projects in their municipality. In 144 communities, 21,155 people – adults as well as children aged 7-17 – participated in the community consultation. They voted to approve or reject 1) the construction of the Xalalá …

Bolivia: The Complex Process of Designing a New State
By Franz Chávez, www.ipsnews.net
March 21, 2007

A unified but decentralised state that recognises Bolivia’s cultural and ethnic diversity is the vision that is gradually gaining broad support in the constituent assembly currently rewriting the country’s constitution.

Eight months into their job, with just four months to go, the assembly’s 255 members are working in committees, drawing up the proposals to be considered by a plenary session.

It took the assembly a full six months, until Feb. 7, simply to agree on voting rules: only a simple majority will be required to approve constitutional reforms …