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Violence erupts over Chinese mine in Peru

(China Daily/Agencies)
Updated: 2009-12-05 07:17

Two people were killed and eight injured in a shootout on Wednesday in Peru as Peruvian police tried to arrest a suspect for attacking a mining project owned by Chinese company Zijin, police said on Thursday.

Authorities said they arrested two suspects for the assault in November that killed three workers at the Rio Blanco copper development, but were fired upon as they tried to arrest a third suspect.

Zijin's $1.4-billion Rio Blanco project has locked local communities and companies in a bitter environmental dispute marred by violence.

"We were trying to arrest those responsible for what happened in November ... and we were attacked by bullets and rocks while trying to catch one suspect. We responded in legitimate defense," said General Walter Rivera.

Rivera, who said police and civilians were among the wounded, said the suspect escaped during the shootout.

The government of Peru, a leading global minerals exporter, said it would investigate and that violence must stop.

"We won't permit chaos. We'll use all the tools the Constitution gives us to guarantee security and (prevent) attacks on public and private property," said Prime Minister Javier Velasquez.

The Rio Blanco development, 800 km north of Lima, Peru's capital, is run by Monterrico Metals of Britain, which was bought by Zijin in 2007.

Rivera said he has yet to assign a motive for the attack, even though suspects were identified.

Zijin's mine, which would output some 200,000 tons of copper concentrate a year, was supposed to open in 2011.