Protests in Peru
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Peruvian security forces have resorted to using arms and abuse to quell the recent protests objecting to the government’s new gold mining project and its environmental effects. Peruvians are protesting against a water shortage blamed on the mining companies and are demanding potable drinking water. The gold mine project involves moving water from lakes into the reservoirs in the mountains, which citizens claim will not adequately replace the water taken from the lakes. Opponents of the gold mine are worried that the inadequate water supply will hurt the irrigation they need to farm and take care of livestock. State brutality against those protesting has resulted in arbitrary detentions, dozens of wounded, and the deaths of several citizens.