PERUVIAN GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO GIVE IN TO THE PRESSURES OF DOE RUN PERU, YET THE COMPANY IS NOT WITHDRAWING ITS ARBITRATION

In the face of the imminent re-opening of the operations of the La Oroya Metallurgical Complex, which is administered by the company Doe Run Peru, and without any evidence showing the intention of providing

an integrated solution to the environmental contamination that continues to afflict the city, we state the following:

Over the years, the negative impacts of the operations of the metallurgical complex on the quality of life and the environment of La Oroya and the Montaro Valley have been well demonstrated, without the State having done anything to remediate or correct the situation.

The latest decisions being adopted would give privilege, once again, to speculation and private economic interests over the rights to health and the social and environmental rights of the local population, leaving by the wayside norms established by the Constitution.

We believe that upholding the principle of State authority and the necessity to protect the rights to health and a clean environment of the population need not be in opposition to a dignified and viable way to restart the operations of the metallurgical complex.

The present situation is a result of bad management by previous administrations of the federal government, in the same way that the present administration has limited its own capacity to adequately exercise its environmental and social responsibilities.

A reopening of the metallurgical complex without having finished the principle project of the Environmental Adequacy and Management Program (PAMA) would have numerous negative impacts in both the short and long term upon the health of the population of La Oroya, especially on the lives of women and children, as well as the quality and quantity of natural resources in the areas affected by the metallurgical complex.

Therefore:

We invoke our authorities at both the Executive and Legislative levels of government to protect the health of our fellow citizens and the environment, as well as the labor rights of the workers of the metallurgical complex.

We request that the State, as the principle creditor, together with Doe Run Peru complete the PAMA prior to the start-up of the operations of the metallurgical complex and establish the necessary conditions that significantly minimize the impact produced by the complex.

Also, we invoke the company and the State to initiate a serious program to remediate the contaminated soils in order to insure higher environmental quality for the population of La Oroya.

Giving a new extension to the PAMA and permitting that the complex operate under the same conditions would set a bad precedent for other companies that fulfill their responsibilities.

In the face of all that has occurred, we also demand an adequate financial review of the company and enforcement of any economic, financial and environmental responsibilities of the company that are pending. It is essential that the public know the economic situation of the company, along with its debts to the State and other obligations.

Finally, we demand both greater transparency and firmness by the State with regard to its handling of the arbitration filed by Renco Group against the State of Peru in the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL). The State must maintain a clear position oriented toward preventing and counteracting the aggressive corporate practices of the company, which, ironically, we the Peruvian people would ultimately have to pay for ($800 million +)

Signed,

Movement for the Health of La Oroya
Mesa Tecnica – La Oroya