On 6 July 2011, the Special Rapporteur issued a public statement in which he urged the Government of Peru and the indigenous leaders in the department of Puno to maintain a dialogue process in order to peacefully resolve conflicts related to mining and oil activities in the region following the recent violence that occurred in the city of Juliaca where five people were killed and over 30 injured. According to the Rapporteur, measures should be agreed upon “such as consultation mechanisms with indigenous peoples, which can be adopted in the context of these extractive activities, in addition to measures addressing the problems associated with harmful effects generated by the mining activity in the region “.
He called for the respect of the right to life and other fundamental human rights during the carrying out of legitimate protests in defense of indigenous peoples’ rights as well as in the response from the police. Similarly, he stressed the need for the Government to clarify the events that occurred during the protests of 24 June in Juliaca and to diligently proceed to investigate, prosecute and punish those responsible for the deaths that occurred.