ConflictBarometer_2016

THE AMERICAS
company Petroperú, which had polluted their land by a series
of oil spills. Two days later, the indigenous tribe released the
hostages after the government agreed to the tribe's inclusion
in an emergency cleanup aid plan.
In September, the conflict flared up again after several additional
oil spills. Communities from seven indigenous federations
blocked the main transportation route, the Maranon
River, and demanded further measures to protect the environment
as well as an independent monitoring system.
Also, demonstrations against the Las Bambas copper mine in
Apurímac region took place in the second half of the year.
The Chinese-owned mine is one of the largest copper mine
projects in the world and the extraction of ore made Peru
one of the leading producers of silver, gold, zinc, and copper
worldwide. Due to the exploration of mineral deposits and
the increase of waste material, protesters and the local community
frequently accused the government and companyowners
of environmental pollution. In October, around 200
protesters blocked a road near the mine. They demanded a
compensation for the environmental damage and the inconveniences
caused by noise and the amount of dust close to
the road used for truck transport of the mine's copper concentrates
instead of the promised transport by a pipeline.
On October 14, police killed a protester and injured about 30
further demonstrators, while trying to clear a road. During the
clashes protesters wounded about 20 policemen. The incident
marked the first fatality since the June 2016 election of
the new government led by Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. One week
later, 100 police officers and about 200 protesters clashed
in the district Orurillo, Puno region, near the Poderosa lead
mine, owned by Canadian miner Caracara Silver. Protesters
expressed their fear that the mining would contaminate local
water resources. After police had fired tear gas, protesters
raided the exploration camp, setting fire to five dormitories
and destroying equipment. mgm
PERU (SHINING PATH)
Intensity: 3 | Change: | Start: 1980
The conflict over subnational predominance, resources, and
the orientation of the political system between the Maoist
rebel group Shining Path (SL) and the government remained
violent.
SL had split up into Huallaga Regional Committee (CRH) and
Center Regional Committee (CRC) years before, with only the
latter remaining the fighting force. As in previous years, CRC's
activities remained confined to the river valley of Apurímac,
Ene, and Mantaro (VRAEM), the country's main coca growing
area, covering parts of the regions Ayacucho, Cusco, and
Junín. The government accused SL of protecting coca growers
and collaborating with drug traffickers.
On April 9, the eve of the presidential election, SL guerrillas
armed with rifles and grenades killed eight soldiers and two
civilians in an ambush in Santo Domingo de Acombamba district
in Huancayo, Junín. The same day, SL wounded two navy
sailors operating on a military ship on the Apurímac River near
the town Quisto Valle in Ayacucho.
On May 20, in the joint operation ''Tornado 2016'' by the
National Police and the armed forces, SL commander Abel
Auqui alias ''Comrade Alejandro”, the leader of SL military
operations, was killed in a crop field in Llochegua in Huanta
province, Ayacucho. At the end of the month, special commando
agents allegedly killed a SL member in a shootout in
the district of Santo Domingo of Acombamba in Huancayo,
Junín. On September 11, the newly-elected government led
by President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski declared a 30-day state
of emergency in three districts within Ayacucho, Cusco and
Huancavelica. It further extended the existing state of emergency
in 42 other districts in Ayacucho, Cusco, Huancavelica,
and Junín regions.
At the end of September, the national electoral council rejected
a registration request filed by Frente de Unidad de Defensa
del Pueblo Peruano, the presumed political wing of SL.
On November 22, the US government added three SL leaders
to the list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists, an indication
for entities or individuals who have committed or pose a
high risk for acts of terrorism and would face serious sanctions
if caught. mgm
PERU – CHILE (BORDER)
Intensity: 1 | Change: END | Start: 1883
Conflict parties:
Conflict items:
Peru vs. Chile
territory
Conflict parties:
SL vs. government
Conflict items: system/ideology, subnational predominance,
resources
The dispute over the maritime and land boundaries between
Chile and Peru ended after the heads of both states declared
past differences to be over and agreed on closer political and
economic cooperation.
On November 29, in his first official visit to Chile, newly
elected Peruvian president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and his
Chilean counterpart, Michelle Bachelet, announced that a
''new era” of bilateral relations was about to start and that
both countries were willing to overcome grievances. Regarding
international trade, Kuczynski later stated his country's
will to ''join forces” with Chile to counter ''protectionist
challenges”. The two countries further agreed on holding
binational cabinet meetings and to reactivate cooperation
between the respective secretaries of defense and foreign
affairs to discuss various policies, including joint measures
against drug trafficking. This forum had been suspended after
the border dispute had been brought to the ICJ in 2008.
The ICJ's final ruling on the sea border on 01/27/14 had been
accepted by both sides. peh
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