Cajamarca Community Research Paper
International Baccalaureate Extended Essay 2014
Student Name: Joisie Mantilla Santa Cruz
School: United World College of the American West
Subject: Peace and Conflict Studies.
Topic: The conflict between the Cajamarca Community and the Peruvian government. Research Question: Until what degree a positive peace between the Cajamarca community and the Peruvian government is possible?
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Contents:
Abstract………………………………………………………………...03
Introduction…………………………………………………………….04
Background Information………………………………………………06
Current Situation…………………………………………………….…09
Application of Peace and Conflict theory……………………………..13
Prospects of Peace……………………………………………………...22
List of References……………………………………………………...23
References……………………………………………………………..24 …show more content…
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Abstract
This essay will analyze the degree of effectiveness f the Johan Galtung theories in the real-life social conflict between the Cajamarca Community and the Peruvian Central government. After investigating the historical background of the social response towards the mining industry and focus the study in the current management of the issue, the diagnosis-prognosis-therapy, lifecycle triangle and eight-path model will be used as a tool of a theoretical analysis of the conflict.
From this, it will be determined that a positive peace is attainable between the Cajamarquinos and the government as long as greater social intervention is prioritized.
Analyzing the prospects of positive peace for this conflict are very important because of the social and economic impact that the decision will bring. If the Conga project is allow, then a major social conflict will increase political instability and promote social violence as unique tool for social expression. On the other hand If the project is canceled, social economic frustration will carry internal separatism between socials classes.
The major limitations of the essay were the scarcity of sources. Whilst a large amount of time was given to the data collection process the investigation in Peace and Conflict Studies is a field that has little exploration, therefore very few authors to analyze. Also due to physical distance from the country in conflict, the reliability of internet based information can be a militant.
Last the conclusion of this analysis are limited by a word limitation, therefore the level of depth was limited to the rubric and aims. However I consider that my approach is very objective and well founded.
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Introduction:
In recent times the northeastern Andean province of Peru had been the focus of national and international attention. The escalation of a controversial mining project had been the contentious element that produced the escalation of what today is known as the “Conga social conflict”.
Cajamarquinos assert that The Conga project is the main expression of cultural and physical exploitation, stealing and oppression towards their community whilst the Peruvian government maintains that the Yanacocha project that will not harm their community furthermore will define the economic growth of the Peruvian economy. Through the analysis conflict evolution and peace building theories proposed by Johann Galtug and (),this essay will examine the bases of social the social conflict, the role of the leaders and the prospects of positive peace1 between the Cajamarca community and the government.
The extent of the events first call my attention when in November 2011 a coalition of local organizations and peasants declared an undetermined regional strike demanding to the government to declare the Conga project unviable. The regional strike prevented farmers to bring their products to the cost creating a deep economic lost. Furthermore, the situation aggravate when the president Ollanta Humana, who before elections presented himself as an “enemy” of economic liberalism, changed his presidential approach to a “progressive” one allowing emptying four lagoons, two to extract minerals( Perol and Mala lagoons)and two to store tailings( Azul and Chilca lagoons).All this reactions worsen what I call the “rescue room
1
“Positive peace is more than the absence of violence: it is the presence of social justice through equal opportunity, a fair distribution of power and resources, equal protection and impartial enforcement of law”
(Galtug, cited in Johan Galtug, 2006)
4
syndrome” creating that all the social resentments trough the time were added up in the Conga conflict. On the other hand, the Republic of Peru’s economy has been strongly affected by the Conga social conflict stopping the glowing expansion of “one of the world’s star economies,” 2 that fall from growing 7.6% to 5.3% growing in the past 4 years, since the Conga social conflict begun.
For all this reasons awareness of the government position towards this social conflict is a vital component when deciding the future of which can be the biggest mining project in the Peruvian history or the longest social conflict unsolved. After analyzing the causes and conditions of the social conflict evolution applying the life-cycle diagram proposed by Jhonn Galtung, I will use
Galtug’s diagnosis- prognosis study, life-cycle theory and
2
Neuman, W. (2013, August 19). As a boom slows, peru grows uneasy. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/20/world/americas/as-a-boom-slows-peru-grows-uneasy.html?_r=0 5
Background Information
“Peru is a multi-metallic country that owns one of the world’s largest mining reserves i the world Nowadays Peru is the third-largest global producer of copper, silver, zinc and tin in the world and the largest producer of gold, zinc, tin and lead in Latin America.” 3 . Columbian cultures worked gold perfectly , but the pieces had a more spiritual value related to the gods veneration. In fact ancient Peruvians did not used minerals as a currency in an exchange market, however their vision of mineral products as gifts to gods was perturbed when Western vision came through the Spanish colonizers who got impressed by the quantity and quality of the mineral resources. Peru’s traditional metallurgic was the principal attractive to the Spanish colonizers who arrived in the city of Cajamarca in search for “el dorado”.
The mineral resources of the Inca Empire were the main link to the current mining conflict paradigm in Cajamarca. I was precisely Cajamarca the place were the first mining operation where placed and even before that the conquistadors did what is presented in this essay as “the
Rescue room syndrome” As Lowell Bergman, an investigative reporter who covered the story
“The course of Inca Gold” to The New York Times, explains in an interview:
“the Yanacocha mine is that it 's an area called Cajamarca, high up in the Andes, one of the poorest regions of Peru. But it 's also the place, in 1534, where Pizarro came and met the Inca Emperor Atahualpa, and it 's that story, Atahualpa being taken hostage by
Pizarro, Atahualpa saying `I 'll fill this room '--that he was being held in--`with gold, ' as high as he could reach along the wall. His followers then delivered the gold. He 's
3
LATIN LAWYER. Provide an overview of the mining industry in your country.What significance does the mining industry have as a component of the national economy? Questionnaire.Lima,2013:
http://latinlawyer.com/reference/topics/46/jurisdictions/19/peru/
6
supposed to be released. A Jesuit priest apparently said, `No, you can 't do that unless he converts. ' He wouldn 't convert, so they kill him and they keep the gold.”4
This event was extremely shocking for the Inca culture because since that event Cajamarca became the principal mining region and If it were not because of the altitude, the Peruvian capital. In this way
the “ rescue room paradigm” defined the way people see
outsiders: foreigners coming, foreigners cheating and foreigners taking and leaving.
Decades later, the first expression of social disconformity towards mining operation was precisely carried against Yanacocha. In June second of 2000 a track from the Yanacocha gold mine spilled 151 kg of elemental mercury along 40 meters stretch of highway passing through
Choropampa and two neighboring villages, the mine admit nearly 1000 people were affected, locals say the numbers are much more higher.5 The events run the national and international news for several weeks. The current president Alberto Fujimori underestimated the situation and a 9 months social conflict begun. On the one hand Yanacocha was accused of trying to hide the spill avoiding the investment in a proper clean up mechanism and, instead, paying locals to pick the mercury up without protection. On the other hand the population claimed being devastated by sickness produced by the manipulation of the toxic element. At the end the Choropampa community received a basic financial compensation that scholars affirm was insufficient.
Years before the Spanish people came to steal our wealth, they brought guns and kill our people.
Now they just need to make us sick to steal everything for us!
4
Lowell Bergman, interview by Madeleine Brand, DAY TO DAY newsmagazine , National Public Radio,
October 25, 2005.
5
Adrianzén,Francisco & Boyd, Stephanie. Choropampa , el precio del oro . DVD. Directed by Boyd,
Stephanie & Caballeros, Ernesto. Covitec Technicolor Montreal, 2002.
7
However the conflict between Yanacocha and Choropampa becameOn 14 september 200, just 2 month after the spill, Peruvian television broadcasted a phonecall where Vladimiro Montesinos,
Fujimori’s trust man, agreed to allow following mining contracts with Yanacocha enterprise as a
“favor”. After that event people became skeptic towards government justice.6 Furthermore, people felt ignored and abandoned. After the choropampa spill mining activities directed by
Yanacocha continued without major changes in their processes. At the same time the Peruvian government kept being linked to corruption. This situation added to the initial colonization abuse created a potential future conflict awaiting for the right moment to “explode”.
6
Bernard, A., & Cupolo, D. (2012, May 01). Scietnist calls peru conga project "social disaster". Upside Down World
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Current Situation
Cajamarca is a medium size region located in the northern part of Peru. As a region that own great part of the Andes, Cajamarca’s economy is strongly dependent to the production of commodities, specially milk and its derivatives. Also, since the last decades Cajamarca’s economy has been strongly influenced by the mining industry placed on the zone. These two economic activities, however, most of the times were seen as developing through a negative relation between each other, in other words people saw mining as enemy of sustainable future for the region, but the idea of industrialism overtook most of the politicians goals, therefore mining was always very politically welcome.
In the 90’s mining represented 6 % of the total economy while agropecuary production represented 42 %, however by 2012 the agricultural production represented 21% of the economy while mining represented 22%. In fact Cajamarca is the third, over 24 regions, with the highest rate of mining concessions (44.97% of the territory).7 The image bellow shows in red the territory conceded to the mining corporations until the present time.
7
Medina, Jose. "Cajamarca, una economia debil."Panoramacajamarquino, , sec.
Economia, April 24, 2013. http://www.panoramacajamarquino.com/noticia/cajamarcauna-economia-debil/ (accessed August 29, 2013).
9
The Conga project was initially result of the mining explorations and discovery of the
Chailhuagón and Petrol deposits conducted by the Company of exploration, development and mining inversion (CEDIMIN) in 1991. 8 These disseverments were followed by Yanacocha who started the planning of environmental studies, management of permits and land acquisition in order to begin the water management process that is necessary to remove the liquid from four lagoons, Perol, Mala, Azul and Chilca. In 2004 the company formally decided to go ahead and started building the water reservoir. Later, after the ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) approved the semi-detailed Environmental Impact Study (sdEIS)for exploration, in 2008 and in
2009 drilling activities were started.”9
The Cajamarca community react shocked because of the little knowledge they had about the process Yanacocha will carry. The main fair was to increase the environmental damage done by
Yanacocha polluting water, destroying the land and water that is use to rise cattle. In fact
Reinhard Seifert, a german-born environmental engineer living in Cajamarca for 20 years, affirms that: “The contamination with arsenic and heavy metals in the region’s largest rivers had provoked diseases in thousands of rural areas because in the biggest rivers in Cajamarca the Ph is 3.5 when water under 5.o is consider acidic. It is catastrophic”10. In addition in November
2011 the Ministry of Environment (MINAM)presented a report estimating the environmental
8
In 2001 the CEDIMIN organization was acquisition by Buenaventura mining company and joined the operation of the Yanacocha complex. ( "Time Line," ¡CONGA NO VA! SUPPORTING THE PROTEST
MOVEMENT AGAINST THE CONGA MINING PROJECT (CAJAMRCA, PERU) (blog), http://congaeuropa.wordpress.com/el-proyecto-conga/timeline/.), 9
Hulsens , Jonas. Banktrack, "Dodgy Deal: Minas conga mining project Peru." Last modified July 23,
2013. Accessed July 02 , 2013.
http://www.banktrack.org/manage/ajax/ems_dodgydeals/createPDF/minas_conga_mining_ project. 10
Bernard, A., & Cupolo, D. (2012, May 01). Scietnist calls peru conga project "social disaster". Upside Down World p 1.
10
impact of the Conga Project, According to that report: “The Conga Project will transform in a significant and irreversible way the head of the basin […] several ecosystems will disappear, while others will be fragmented irreversibly” Furthermore the construction of reservoir is also analyzed:” the reservoirs will not mitigate the impact. The water supply service might be a compensation of the lost environmental service”11
The Conga project is expected to produce an estimate of 11.6 million ounces of gold and 3 billion of copper in a 19-year lifespan, amount valued of 30.2 billion USD at early July 2013.12
Furthermore, Cajamarca as other regions had increased its production of mining products having a strong correlation with the economic growth that Peru had been experiencing over the last 10 years, period of time leading the economic growth in Latin America, however as Waldo
Mendoza, president of the economic department of the Universidad Catolica del Peru pronounced in an interview for El Comercio daily :“the peruvian economy growth is a matter of luck, luck that is created by the amount of incredible international investment that is mainly related to the mining extraction” 13Following this logic the solution of the Conga conflict ismore a national concern than a community building excersice. The service of Standar and Poor’s affirmed “if the maining project Conga remains suspended, it might affect the perspective of economic growth for Peru.It will set an unfavorable presedent for the mining industry and
11
Gonzales, G. (2013). Water related social conflicts: The case of conga mining project. Enviromental Assessement,
26-27.
12
13
Ibid, 24-26.
Costa, Alejandra. ""La buena suerte del Peru esta cambiando"" Recorded August 02 2013. El comercio August 01 2013. DVD, http://elcomercio.pe/economia/1612138/noticia-waldomendoza-buena-suerte-economica-peru-esta-cambiando.
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possibly, the delay or definite elimination of other projects”14.In fact Conga is the largest mining conflict that Peru had have so far, so , looking for a fast and sustainable solution is crucial, however the government stand between two dilemmas: letting the Conga Project remove the lake’s water or denied the project harshing the economic growth.
14
unknown , . "Peru creceria 5% en proximos tres anios." Peru 21, , sec. Enterprise, March 03, 2012. http://peru21.pe/2012/03/03/impresa/peru-creceria-5-proximos-tres-anos-2014250 (accessed August 29, 2013).
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Application of Peace and Conflict Theory
The main purpose of Peace and Conflict Studies is allowing the rational thinking and strategy take place in the conflict solution process. In order to contemplate the prospects of a future positive peace between the Cajamarca community and the Peruvian Central government It is necessary to analyze the basis of the conflict: Its reasons, development and persistence. In the same way the conflict current stage should be analyze in order to explore the best approach to the peace building process. For all this reasons the peace theories formulated by Johan Galtung and
()can be introduced.
Johan Galtung, Norwegian sociologist, mathematician and principal founder of the Peace and
Conflict Studies discipline creates a reasonable relation between social behavior and conflict formation. Galtung suggests that peace researchers should first understand the structure of the conflict and then develop a peace strategy. This analysis is summarized by the diagnosisprognosis therapy.
According to Johan Galtung, “a conflict has its own life cycle: almost like something organic.It appears, reaches and emotional, even violent climax, then tappers off, disappears and – If positive pace had not been reached- appears again”15. In this way Peace studies are similar to health studies. The common idea of a system(actors, cells), off well-state and ill-state.
Furthermore the idea of health-disease, peace-war can be defined from the following graph:
15
Galtung, J(2000)Participant’s Manual: Trainers Manual, Conflict Transformation by Peaceful means
(The Transcend Method) United Nations Disaster Management Training Programme.pg 1.
13
Image3:
Following this logic, this essay will begin by the use of the Contradiction- Attitude- behavior cycle .
Figure 2:
Galtug’s Life-cycle of a conflict diagram.
Galtung, J(2000)Participant’s Manual:
Trainers Manual, Conflict Transformation by Peaceful means (The Transcend
Method) United Nations Disaster
Management Training Programme.pg 1.
14
The theory claims that individuals and groups, in this case the Cajamarca Community and the
Central government , have different interests that when incompatible give initio to a conflict. In the Conga conflict the interest are exclusive: while the Cajamarquinos want sustainable development without changing their agricultural industry, the government aim to secure the economic and social growth of the nation by allowing the Conga project. In fact since 2011 a contradition between the interest has begun leading to frustration from the two parties because after 3 years of protest no the Yanacocha company has stopped its operations, neither the economic growth has increased (instead has decreased).
Galtung’s approach affirms that frustration might lead to aggression. In this case It happened.
After armed conflicts between the people and the local police, the situation got worse to the point that on Abril 2012 a total of 300 police and 260 arm forces were sent to the small town of
Celendin, were the main protests took place16. In this context is where Galtung places the
Attitude component as hatred, distrust and apathy. This is a very important stage of the Conga conflict because reinforced the Cajamarca’s past sense of exclusion from the society increasing even more the opposition to the government intervention.
The theory tell us that as a two party conflict the effect of the cycle should round between the holders of the incompatible interest, however in the Conga conflict the whole nation has been affected drastically. In the social side this conflict served as an example of social justice and braveness increasing the number of conflicts unsolved to 22.17 In the political side it has
16
Unknown. (2012, Abril 07). Policias y militares se movilizan a Cajamarca ante posible protestas. El Comercio.
Retrieved from http://elcomercio.pe/politica/1398380/noticia-policias-militares-se-movilizan-cajamarca-anteposibles-protestas
17
Unknown. (2012, December 28).Pese a reducción de conflictos sociales, Conga es una tarea pendiente. El
Comercio. Retrieved from http://elcomercio.pe/actualidad/1515482/noticia-balance-2012-pese-reduccionconflictos-sociales-conga-tarea-pendiente
15
produced a reduction in government confidence reducing Ollanta Humala social approbation from 71% to 24%18 .Finally the economic side the international confidence in the nation’s stability has been severely hurt by the current social conflicts decreasing the investment in 3%.19
The current stage of the conflict has extrapolated itself to third party members. Galtuns describes this increase in the spiral coverage as a meta-conflict (like metastasis relative to cancer)20.This characteristic adds extra complicity to the conflict because more incompatible interest are added.
In the Conga polemic third-party individuals are related to the political side. The principal one is
Keiko Fujimori, Alberto Fujimori’s daughter and politician who openly criticize the current president Ollanta Humala as a way of promoting herself as political figure towards the 2016 elections. Added to her, ex-president Alejandro Toledo also uses his political opposition with the same purpose.
After the diagnosis of the conflict and defining the causes and current situation of the conflict, the Peace and conflict theory drives us to analyze the type of issue facing and the approach that should be given. The Conga social conflict at his point has fell out of its well-state into the stage of “virus expansion” where the disease ( violence) is spreading to different social fields. This is defined as ill-state.
After defining the state of the conflict, the next step is Prognosis. “The role of prognosis is determined whether the system is capable of self-restoration to a well-state of whether some
18
Unknown. (2012, October 27).Aprobación de Ollanta Humala descendió a 24%, la cifra más baja de su gobierno
. El Comercio. Retrieved from http://elcomercio.pe/actualidad/1650529/noticia-aprobacion-ollanta-humaladescendio-24-cifra-mas-baja-su-gobierno
19
Unknown. (2012, February 09).Inversión extranjera podría ser frenada por conflictos sociales. El Comercio.
Retrieved from http://elcomercio.pe/economia/1380854/noticia-inversion-extranjera-podria-frenada-conflictos
20
Galtung, J(2000)Participant’s Manual: Trainers Manual, Conflict Transformation by Peaceful means
(The Transcend Method) United Nations Disaster Management Training Programme.pg 1.
16
Other Intervention is needed.21An unavoidable diagnosis is that this conflict is at the ill-state level in which no self-restoration can be the solution. According to Galtung unconscious selfrestoration is possible if in the place beneficial conditions had been placed 22, however in
Cajamarca the cultural and economic situation trough the time has been strongly hurt by the
“rescue room syndrome” which is prevalent in all the society; form the oldest to the youngest members. In addition the use of violence from the government had enforced the lack of trust in the system. The condition of armed forced intervention cannot be considered positive. Even the
“dialogue table” settled by the government having the Peruvian cardinal as facilitator cannot be count as positive enough because of Gregorio Santos’ negative to participate.
In this situation of unconscious self-restoration incapability, Galtung proposes to move on to the next side of the triangle: Therapy. As might be expected the Peruvian government had already taken steps towards the therapy, however those steps do not totally math the Galtung’s approach.
The government strategies has been armed repression, suppression, facilitated dialogue and stopping the mining operations. The order and degree of intensity of those steps are clearly the main social concern. The armed intervention was strongly used while attempts of dialogue were fruitless. In this condition Galtung would agree that the armed forces intervention is a curative therapy towards negative peace.23 In the other hand social suppression is also categorized as curative therapy. Unfortunately the theory affirms that those two approaches will lead to a vicious circle of momentary peace and conflict resurgence. This is what Peruvian history shows us that have been happening in Cajamarca, since the colonization.
21
Galtung, J. (1993). The coming one hundred years of peacemaking. (1st ed., p. 45). New York: Maraise.
Ibid, pg 47.
23
Ibid, pg 48.
22
17
A superior approach takes in account prevention as principal tool towards peace. Prevention,
Galtung suggest, will only be reached avoiding the actioner of the transmitter. In this case the leaders of both sides ruled by the social structure. It is precisely structural violence
24
approach
that fits this conflict the best because It focus on economic and political influence thought: repression and exploitation. The political violence is undoubtedly represented by the use of armed forced to repress the strike. This violence creates an equal response such as the policy intervention in the well-known as “Pregnant strike “in which pregnant women was repelled by violence, as expected the nation reply with total disapprove towards the government and more strikes appeared.25
The economic side of the structural violence also fits perfectly the conflict in study because the main cause of social disconformity was the inequality of opportunities. In fact the main causes are listed as: unplanned social transformation from an agrarian social order to an unequal middle class order, rapid decline of rural subsistence economy, increase dominant urbanized cash-based economy, influx of migrant labor to the region, introduction of the “mining” class in Cajamarca and the preference of mining activities instead of agricultural work.26Undoubtedly the economic violence played an important role in oppression of the community, which leaded to a high degree of counter-violence.
The final stage of this theoretical recognition is delighted by the peace making process.Having already identified the type of violence, the current situation and the central roles in the conflict, It
24
Galtung, J. (1993). The coming one hundred years of peacemaking. (1st ed., p. 45). New York: Maraise.pg 49
25
Unknown. (2012, July 28).Marcha de las embarazadas termina en desgracia. El Comercio. Retrieved from http://elcomercio.pe/politica/1430118/noticia-valdes-marcha-embarazadas-cajamarca-sinonimo-desesperacion 26
Balarezo, Jorge. Conga: Emerging socio-enviromental conflicts & enviromental politics in Humala 's Peru. manuscript., Norwegian Latin American Research Network, 2012. NorLarNet http://www.norlarnet.uio.no/pdf/behind-the-news/englis/2012/conga.pdf. 18
is time to insert the final theory: The eight-fold path. The table below presents the order of the factors: Image 4:
Soegten,B. (2012) .Peace Policies for the 21st Century.The Coming One
Hundred Years of Peacemaking by
Johan Galtung.[online image]
Retrieved from: http://www.galtunginstitut.de/network/groups/anythinggaltung/forum/topic/diagnosisprognosis-therapy-a-methodologyfor-encompassig-conflict-analysis/
19
This model is central to the current situation-already explained-. From here all the knowledge about the ways of tackling the four ways of structural violence expressions: army force violent intervention, economic exploitation, political overpowering and cultural repression, can be summarized. The first important charactertistic of this method is the human focus.The four headers in the right focus in the main four levels of human development in society. In this way the responsibility of the leaders and members in each structure receive equal power and responsibility in the peace making process. This approach is important because a the Conga conflict begun as a protest against government overpowering upon the nation’s future and the Cajamarquinos claimed that the relying on one region’s suffer and impoverishment in order to obtain enough money for all the rich people in the capitals was extremely oppression and unequal. Also If this model is follow major participation from Yanacocha company in the peace building process will be ask, in this way the entity which started the conflict will have equal responsibility to change its extractive method and social image.
In fact this model expects something from each sector. First in the case of the military forces, they should carry new tasks substituting defensive defense for defensive means .This will be a start point to further development of nonviolent lines, increasing the value fo non-violent skills in the conflict resolution stages. Second, in the economic dimension, the economic theory used need to be changed in order to increase the internalization of negative externalities and the production of positive ones such as ecological awareness in the nations, and economic equitable economic growth for all the regions. Third in the political situation, It is necessary to change the way of seen democracy taking in mind that population ideals and desires cannot be totally underestimated even when there are holed by a minor, such as Cajamarca. Also the approach to
20
political parties should change from a constant competition for power to a collaborative work between different parties and political sectors. Last, the cultural dimension need to improve, creating a sense of belonging to a country that works equality for all the social classes without exploiting, ignoring or discriminating population sectors based on their geographical locations.
21
Prospects for Peace:
After three years of constant direct and structural violence, an instantaneous positive peace is unlike to happen. The current pathway to positive peace is unclear, but there is a tendency to reach a negative peace that, as explained, in the long run will produce a greater social conflict.
However that the pathway for positive peace is not clear does not mean that It is totally impossible. In this case the current situation shows us that the eight-pathway model can work but in order to do that a real social accomplishment from all the parties is needed. This accomplishment had been shown impossible without third part intervention. The global community and peace entities such as The United Nations will sooner or later be needed If the social self-regulation keeps delaying the resolution of the conflict.
However there is evidence that a third party intervention added to the current social situation might work better at this stage than before because as the time had pass through, the emotions behind the actions has decreased its influence. This is very important when establishing a peace building strategy because solutions can be deeply think without the social pressure of acting fast.
Also, a positive peace between the government and Cajamarca is not totally unrealistic because the political contention is and will eventually stop as the new presidential elections approximate.
This does not mean that the changing president is going to definitely certify a positive peace but
It is a very viable opportunity for dispelling previous misunderstanding and renewing the government image in the societies’ head.
22
Conclusion:
The Conga conflict is a complex situation that until now has no clear end, however the Jhonn
Galtung theories of diagnosis-prognosis-therapy, life-cycle conflict and eight-path model serve as a reasonable way of decoding the conflict and proposing one possible peace-building approach. In this context the responsibility of reaching a sustainable positive peace relies on the society commitment towards the conflict. Both the Cajamarca community and the government have the principal role in promoting equality, while the surrounding individuals have the responsibility of integrating themselves to one of the four main sector of study and work as active members. Even dough now a peaceful ending is not very clear, the prospects of peace are attainable, indeed
Galtung’s positive peace can be achieved If every component of the Peruvian society focus on their role without allowing personal interest be expressed over the nation’s.
It is likely, however that this win-win solution will not reach a hundred percent stage because either allowing or not the mining process either the environment or the economy will be damaged. But as in every extrapolation of theories to the real life, the outcomes will never be perfect. However that is where the importance of these study relies: the active use of knowledge to create practical solutions in viable and realistic way.
23
References
Neuman, W. (2013, August 19). As a boom slows, peru grows uneasy. The New York Times.
Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/20/world/americas/as-a-boom-slows-perugrows-uneasy.html?_r=0
LATIN LAWYER. Provide an overview of the mining industry in your country.What significance does the mining industry have as a component of the national economy?
Questionnaire.Lima,2013: http://latinlawyer.com/reference/topics/46/jurisdictions/19/peru/
Lowell Bergman, interview by Madeleine Brand, DAY TO DAY newsmagazine , National Public
Radio, October 25, 2005.
Adrianzén,Francisco & Boyd, Stephanie. Choropampa , el precio del oro . DVD. Directed by Boyd, Stephanie & Caballeros, Ernesto. Covitec Technicolor Montreal, 2002.
Bernard, A., & Cupolo, D. (2012, May 01). Scietnist calls peru conga project "social disaster". Upside Down World
1
Medina, Jose. "Cajamarca, una economia debil."Panoramacajamarquino, , sec.
Medina, Jose. "Cajamarca, una economia debil."Panoramacajamarquino, , sec. Economia, April
24, 2013. http://www.panoramacajamarquino.com/noticia/cajamarca-una-economia-debil/
(accessed August 29, 2013).
In 2001 the CEDIMIN organization was acquisition by Buenaventura mining company and joined the operation of the Yanacocha complex. ( "Time Line," ¡CONGA NO VA! SUPPORTING THE
PROTEST MOVEMENT AGAINST THE CONGA MINING PROJECT (CAJAMRCA, PERU)
(blog), http://congaeuropa.wordpress.com/el-proyecto-conga/timeline/.),
Hulsens , Jonas. Banktrack, "Dodgy Deal: Minas conga mining project Peru." Last modified July
23, 2013. Accessed July 02 , 2013. http://www.banktrack.org/manage/ajax/ems_dodgydeals/createPDF/minas_conga_mining_projec t.
Bernard, A., & Cupolo, D. (2012, May 01). Scietnist calls peru conga project "social disaster". Upside Down World p 1.
Gonzales, G. (2013). Water related social conflicts: The case of conga mining project. Enviromental Assessement, 26-27.
24
Costa, Alejandra. ""La buena suerte del Peru esta cambiando"" Recorded August 02 2013. El comercio August 01 2013. DVD, http://elcomercio.pe/economia/1612138/noticia-waldomendoza-buena-suerte-economica-peru-esta-cambiando. unknown , . "Peru creceria 5% en proximos tres anios." Peru 21, , sec. Enterprise, March 03,
2012. http://peru21.pe/2012/03/03/impresa/peru-creceria-5-proximos-tres-anos-2014250
(accessed August 29, 2013).
Galtung, J(2000)Participant’s Manual: Trainers Manual, Conflict Transformation by Peaceful means (The Transcend Method) United Nations Disaster Management Training Programme.pg
1.
Unknown. (2012, Abril 07). Policias y militares se movilizan a Cajamarca ante posible protestas. El Comercio. Retrieved from http://elcomercio.pe/politica/1398380/noticia-policiasmilitares-se-movilizan-cajamarca-ante-posibles-protestas
Unknown. (2012, December 28).Pese a reducción de conflictos sociales, Conga es una tarea pendiente. El Comercio. Retrieved from http://elcomercio.pe/actualidad/1515482/noticiabalance-2012-pese-reduccion-conflictos-sociales-conga-tarea-pendiente
Unknown. (2012, October 27).Aprobación de Ollanta Humala descendió a 24%, la cifra más baja de su gobierno . El Comercio. Retrieved from http://elcomercio.pe/actualidad/1650529/noticiaaprobacion-ollanta-humala-descendio-24-cifra-mas-baja-su-gobierno
Unknown. (2012, February 09).Inversión extranjera podría ser frenada por conflictos sociales. El
Comercio. Retrieved from http://elcomercio.pe/economia/1380854/noticia-inversion-extranjerapodria-frenada-conflictos
Galtung, J(2000)Participant’s Manual: Trainers Manual, Conflict Transformation by Peaceful means (The Transcend Method) United Nations Disaster Management Training Programme.pg
1.
Galtung, J. (1993). The coming one hundred years of peacemaking. (1st ed., p. 45). New York:
Maraise.
Galtung, J. (1993). The coming one hundred years of peacemaking. (1st ed., p. 45). New York:
Maraise.pg 49
25
Unknown. (2012, July 28).Marcha de las embarazadas termina en desgracia. El Comercio.
Retrieved from http://elcomercio.pe/politica/1430118/noticia-valdes-marcha-embarazadascajamarca-sinonimo-desesperacion
Balarezo, Jorge. Conga: Emerging socio-enviromental conflicts & enviromental politics in
Humala 's Peru. manuscript., Norwegian Latin American Research Network, 2012. NorLarNet http://www.norlarnet.uio.no/pdf/behind-the-news/englis/2012/conga.pdf. 26
Student Name: Joisie Mantilla Santa Cruz
School: United World College of the American West
Subject: Peace and Conflict Studies.
Topic: The conflict between the Cajamarca Community and the Peruvian government. Research Question: Until what degree a positive peace between the Cajamarca community and the Peruvian government is possible?
1
Contents:
Abstract………………………………………………………………...03
Introduction…………………………………………………………….04
Background Information………………………………………………06
Current Situation…………………………………………………….…09
Application of Peace and Conflict theory……………………………..13
Prospects of Peace……………………………………………………...22
List of References……………………………………………………...23
References……………………………………………………………..24 …show more content…
2
Abstract
This essay will analyze the degree of effectiveness f the Johan Galtung theories in the real-life social conflict between the Cajamarca Community and the Peruvian Central government. After investigating the historical background of the social response towards the mining industry and focus the study in the current management of the issue, the diagnosis-prognosis-therapy, lifecycle triangle and eight-path model will be used as a tool of a theoretical analysis of the conflict.
From this, it will be determined that a positive peace is attainable between the Cajamarquinos and the government as long as greater social intervention is prioritized.
Analyzing the prospects of positive peace for this conflict are very important because of the social and economic impact that the decision will bring. If the Conga project is allow, then a major social conflict will increase political instability and promote social violence as unique tool for social expression. On the other hand If the project is canceled, social economic frustration will carry internal separatism between socials classes.
The major limitations of the essay were the scarcity of sources. Whilst a large amount of time was given to the data collection process the investigation in Peace and Conflict Studies is a field that has little exploration, therefore very few authors to analyze. Also due to physical distance from the country in conflict, the reliability of internet based information can be a militant.
Last the conclusion of this analysis are limited by a word limitation, therefore the level of depth was limited to the rubric and aims. However I consider that my approach is very objective and well founded.
3
Introduction:
In recent times the northeastern Andean province of Peru had been the focus of national and international attention. The escalation of a controversial mining project had been the contentious element that produced the escalation of what today is known as the “Conga social conflict”.
Cajamarquinos assert that The Conga project is the main expression of cultural and physical exploitation, stealing and oppression towards their community whilst the Peruvian government maintains that the Yanacocha project that will not harm their community furthermore will define the economic growth of the Peruvian economy. Through the analysis conflict evolution and peace building theories proposed by Johann Galtug and (),this essay will examine the bases of social the social conflict, the role of the leaders and the prospects of positive peace1 between the Cajamarca community and the government.
The extent of the events first call my attention when in November 2011 a coalition of local organizations and peasants declared an undetermined regional strike demanding to the government to declare the Conga project unviable. The regional strike prevented farmers to bring their products to the cost creating a deep economic lost. Furthermore, the situation aggravate when the president Ollanta Humana, who before elections presented himself as an “enemy” of economic liberalism, changed his presidential approach to a “progressive” one allowing emptying four lagoons, two to extract minerals( Perol and Mala lagoons)and two to store tailings( Azul and Chilca lagoons).All this reactions worsen what I call the “rescue room
1
“Positive peace is more than the absence of violence: it is the presence of social justice through equal opportunity, a fair distribution of power and resources, equal protection and impartial enforcement of law”
(Galtug, cited in Johan Galtug, 2006)
4
syndrome” creating that all the social resentments trough the time were added up in the Conga conflict. On the other hand, the Republic of Peru’s economy has been strongly affected by the Conga social conflict stopping the glowing expansion of “one of the world’s star economies,” 2 that fall from growing 7.6% to 5.3% growing in the past 4 years, since the Conga social conflict begun.
For all this reasons awareness of the government position towards this social conflict is a vital component when deciding the future of which can be the biggest mining project in the Peruvian history or the longest social conflict unsolved. After analyzing the causes and conditions of the social conflict evolution applying the life-cycle diagram proposed by Jhonn Galtung, I will use
Galtug’s diagnosis- prognosis study, life-cycle theory and
2
Neuman, W. (2013, August 19). As a boom slows, peru grows uneasy. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/20/world/americas/as-a-boom-slows-peru-grows-uneasy.html?_r=0 5
Background Information
“Peru is a multi-metallic country that owns one of the world’s largest mining reserves i the world Nowadays Peru is the third-largest global producer of copper, silver, zinc and tin in the world and the largest producer of gold, zinc, tin and lead in Latin America.” 3 . Columbian cultures worked gold perfectly , but the pieces had a more spiritual value related to the gods veneration. In fact ancient Peruvians did not used minerals as a currency in an exchange market, however their vision of mineral products as gifts to gods was perturbed when Western vision came through the Spanish colonizers who got impressed by the quantity and quality of the mineral resources. Peru’s traditional metallurgic was the principal attractive to the Spanish colonizers who arrived in the city of Cajamarca in search for “el dorado”.
The mineral resources of the Inca Empire were the main link to the current mining conflict paradigm in Cajamarca. I was precisely Cajamarca the place were the first mining operation where placed and even before that the conquistadors did what is presented in this essay as “the
Rescue room syndrome” As Lowell Bergman, an investigative reporter who covered the story
“The course of Inca Gold” to The New York Times, explains in an interview:
“the Yanacocha mine is that it 's an area called Cajamarca, high up in the Andes, one of the poorest regions of Peru. But it 's also the place, in 1534, where Pizarro came and met the Inca Emperor Atahualpa, and it 's that story, Atahualpa being taken hostage by
Pizarro, Atahualpa saying `I 'll fill this room '--that he was being held in--`with gold, ' as high as he could reach along the wall. His followers then delivered the gold. He 's
3
LATIN LAWYER. Provide an overview of the mining industry in your country.What significance does the mining industry have as a component of the national economy? Questionnaire.Lima,2013:
http://latinlawyer.com/reference/topics/46/jurisdictions/19/peru/
6
supposed to be released. A Jesuit priest apparently said, `No, you can 't do that unless he converts. ' He wouldn 't convert, so they kill him and they keep the gold.”4
This event was extremely shocking for the Inca culture because since that event Cajamarca became the principal mining region and If it were not because of the altitude, the Peruvian capital. In this way
the “ rescue room paradigm” defined the way people see
outsiders: foreigners coming, foreigners cheating and foreigners taking and leaving.
Decades later, the first expression of social disconformity towards mining operation was precisely carried against Yanacocha. In June second of 2000 a track from the Yanacocha gold mine spilled 151 kg of elemental mercury along 40 meters stretch of highway passing through
Choropampa and two neighboring villages, the mine admit nearly 1000 people were affected, locals say the numbers are much more higher.5 The events run the national and international news for several weeks. The current president Alberto Fujimori underestimated the situation and a 9 months social conflict begun. On the one hand Yanacocha was accused of trying to hide the spill avoiding the investment in a proper clean up mechanism and, instead, paying locals to pick the mercury up without protection. On the other hand the population claimed being devastated by sickness produced by the manipulation of the toxic element. At the end the Choropampa community received a basic financial compensation that scholars affirm was insufficient.
Years before the Spanish people came to steal our wealth, they brought guns and kill our people.
Now they just need to make us sick to steal everything for us!
4
Lowell Bergman, interview by Madeleine Brand, DAY TO DAY newsmagazine , National Public Radio,
October 25, 2005.
5
Adrianzén,Francisco & Boyd, Stephanie. Choropampa , el precio del oro . DVD. Directed by Boyd,
Stephanie & Caballeros, Ernesto. Covitec Technicolor Montreal, 2002.
7
However the conflict between Yanacocha and Choropampa becameOn 14 september 200, just 2 month after the spill, Peruvian television broadcasted a phonecall where Vladimiro Montesinos,
Fujimori’s trust man, agreed to allow following mining contracts with Yanacocha enterprise as a
“favor”. After that event people became skeptic towards government justice.6 Furthermore, people felt ignored and abandoned. After the choropampa spill mining activities directed by
Yanacocha continued without major changes in their processes. At the same time the Peruvian government kept being linked to corruption. This situation added to the initial colonization abuse created a potential future conflict awaiting for the right moment to “explode”.
6
Bernard, A., & Cupolo, D. (2012, May 01). Scietnist calls peru conga project "social disaster". Upside Down World
8
Current Situation
Cajamarca is a medium size region located in the northern part of Peru. As a region that own great part of the Andes, Cajamarca’s economy is strongly dependent to the production of commodities, specially milk and its derivatives. Also, since the last decades Cajamarca’s economy has been strongly influenced by the mining industry placed on the zone. These two economic activities, however, most of the times were seen as developing through a negative relation between each other, in other words people saw mining as enemy of sustainable future for the region, but the idea of industrialism overtook most of the politicians goals, therefore mining was always very politically welcome.
In the 90’s mining represented 6 % of the total economy while agropecuary production represented 42 %, however by 2012 the agricultural production represented 21% of the economy while mining represented 22%. In fact Cajamarca is the third, over 24 regions, with the highest rate of mining concessions (44.97% of the territory).7 The image bellow shows in red the territory conceded to the mining corporations until the present time.
7
Medina, Jose. "Cajamarca, una economia debil."Panoramacajamarquino, , sec.
Economia, April 24, 2013. http://www.panoramacajamarquino.com/noticia/cajamarcauna-economia-debil/ (accessed August 29, 2013).
9
The Conga project was initially result of the mining explorations and discovery of the
Chailhuagón and Petrol deposits conducted by the Company of exploration, development and mining inversion (CEDIMIN) in 1991. 8 These disseverments were followed by Yanacocha who started the planning of environmental studies, management of permits and land acquisition in order to begin the water management process that is necessary to remove the liquid from four lagoons, Perol, Mala, Azul and Chilca. In 2004 the company formally decided to go ahead and started building the water reservoir. Later, after the ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) approved the semi-detailed Environmental Impact Study (sdEIS)for exploration, in 2008 and in
2009 drilling activities were started.”9
The Cajamarca community react shocked because of the little knowledge they had about the process Yanacocha will carry. The main fair was to increase the environmental damage done by
Yanacocha polluting water, destroying the land and water that is use to rise cattle. In fact
Reinhard Seifert, a german-born environmental engineer living in Cajamarca for 20 years, affirms that: “The contamination with arsenic and heavy metals in the region’s largest rivers had provoked diseases in thousands of rural areas because in the biggest rivers in Cajamarca the Ph is 3.5 when water under 5.o is consider acidic. It is catastrophic”10. In addition in November
2011 the Ministry of Environment (MINAM)presented a report estimating the environmental
8
In 2001 the CEDIMIN organization was acquisition by Buenaventura mining company and joined the operation of the Yanacocha complex. ( "Time Line," ¡CONGA NO VA! SUPPORTING THE PROTEST
MOVEMENT AGAINST THE CONGA MINING PROJECT (CAJAMRCA, PERU) (blog), http://congaeuropa.wordpress.com/el-proyecto-conga/timeline/.), 9
Hulsens , Jonas. Banktrack, "Dodgy Deal: Minas conga mining project Peru." Last modified July 23,
2013. Accessed July 02 , 2013.
http://www.banktrack.org/manage/ajax/ems_dodgydeals/createPDF/minas_conga_mining_ project. 10
Bernard, A., & Cupolo, D. (2012, May 01). Scietnist calls peru conga project "social disaster". Upside Down World p 1.
10
impact of the Conga Project, According to that report: “The Conga Project will transform in a significant and irreversible way the head of the basin […] several ecosystems will disappear, while others will be fragmented irreversibly” Furthermore the construction of reservoir is also analyzed:” the reservoirs will not mitigate the impact. The water supply service might be a compensation of the lost environmental service”11
The Conga project is expected to produce an estimate of 11.6 million ounces of gold and 3 billion of copper in a 19-year lifespan, amount valued of 30.2 billion USD at early July 2013.12
Furthermore, Cajamarca as other regions had increased its production of mining products having a strong correlation with the economic growth that Peru had been experiencing over the last 10 years, period of time leading the economic growth in Latin America, however as Waldo
Mendoza, president of the economic department of the Universidad Catolica del Peru pronounced in an interview for El Comercio daily :“the peruvian economy growth is a matter of luck, luck that is created by the amount of incredible international investment that is mainly related to the mining extraction” 13Following this logic the solution of the Conga conflict ismore a national concern than a community building excersice. The service of Standar and Poor’s affirmed “if the maining project Conga remains suspended, it might affect the perspective of economic growth for Peru.It will set an unfavorable presedent for the mining industry and
11
Gonzales, G. (2013). Water related social conflicts: The case of conga mining project. Enviromental Assessement,
26-27.
12
13
Ibid, 24-26.
Costa, Alejandra. ""La buena suerte del Peru esta cambiando"" Recorded August 02 2013. El comercio August 01 2013. DVD, http://elcomercio.pe/economia/1612138/noticia-waldomendoza-buena-suerte-economica-peru-esta-cambiando.
11
possibly, the delay or definite elimination of other projects”14.In fact Conga is the largest mining conflict that Peru had have so far, so , looking for a fast and sustainable solution is crucial, however the government stand between two dilemmas: letting the Conga Project remove the lake’s water or denied the project harshing the economic growth.
14
unknown , . "Peru creceria 5% en proximos tres anios." Peru 21, , sec. Enterprise, March 03, 2012. http://peru21.pe/2012/03/03/impresa/peru-creceria-5-proximos-tres-anos-2014250 (accessed August 29, 2013).
12
Application of Peace and Conflict Theory
The main purpose of Peace and Conflict Studies is allowing the rational thinking and strategy take place in the conflict solution process. In order to contemplate the prospects of a future positive peace between the Cajamarca community and the Peruvian Central government It is necessary to analyze the basis of the conflict: Its reasons, development and persistence. In the same way the conflict current stage should be analyze in order to explore the best approach to the peace building process. For all this reasons the peace theories formulated by Johan Galtung and
()can be introduced.
Johan Galtung, Norwegian sociologist, mathematician and principal founder of the Peace and
Conflict Studies discipline creates a reasonable relation between social behavior and conflict formation. Galtung suggests that peace researchers should first understand the structure of the conflict and then develop a peace strategy. This analysis is summarized by the diagnosisprognosis therapy.
According to Johan Galtung, “a conflict has its own life cycle: almost like something organic.It appears, reaches and emotional, even violent climax, then tappers off, disappears and – If positive pace had not been reached- appears again”15. In this way Peace studies are similar to health studies. The common idea of a system(actors, cells), off well-state and ill-state.
Furthermore the idea of health-disease, peace-war can be defined from the following graph:
15
Galtung, J(2000)Participant’s Manual: Trainers Manual, Conflict Transformation by Peaceful means
(The Transcend Method) United Nations Disaster Management Training Programme.pg 1.
13
Image3:
Following this logic, this essay will begin by the use of the Contradiction- Attitude- behavior cycle .
Figure 2:
Galtug’s Life-cycle of a conflict diagram.
Galtung, J(2000)Participant’s Manual:
Trainers Manual, Conflict Transformation by Peaceful means (The Transcend
Method) United Nations Disaster
Management Training Programme.pg 1.
14
The theory claims that individuals and groups, in this case the Cajamarca Community and the
Central government , have different interests that when incompatible give initio to a conflict. In the Conga conflict the interest are exclusive: while the Cajamarquinos want sustainable development without changing their agricultural industry, the government aim to secure the economic and social growth of the nation by allowing the Conga project. In fact since 2011 a contradition between the interest has begun leading to frustration from the two parties because after 3 years of protest no the Yanacocha company has stopped its operations, neither the economic growth has increased (instead has decreased).
Galtung’s approach affirms that frustration might lead to aggression. In this case It happened.
After armed conflicts between the people and the local police, the situation got worse to the point that on Abril 2012 a total of 300 police and 260 arm forces were sent to the small town of
Celendin, were the main protests took place16. In this context is where Galtung places the
Attitude component as hatred, distrust and apathy. This is a very important stage of the Conga conflict because reinforced the Cajamarca’s past sense of exclusion from the society increasing even more the opposition to the government intervention.
The theory tell us that as a two party conflict the effect of the cycle should round between the holders of the incompatible interest, however in the Conga conflict the whole nation has been affected drastically. In the social side this conflict served as an example of social justice and braveness increasing the number of conflicts unsolved to 22.17 In the political side it has
16
Unknown. (2012, Abril 07). Policias y militares se movilizan a Cajamarca ante posible protestas. El Comercio.
Retrieved from http://elcomercio.pe/politica/1398380/noticia-policias-militares-se-movilizan-cajamarca-anteposibles-protestas
17
Unknown. (2012, December 28).Pese a reducción de conflictos sociales, Conga es una tarea pendiente. El
Comercio. Retrieved from http://elcomercio.pe/actualidad/1515482/noticia-balance-2012-pese-reduccionconflictos-sociales-conga-tarea-pendiente
15
produced a reduction in government confidence reducing Ollanta Humala social approbation from 71% to 24%18 .Finally the economic side the international confidence in the nation’s stability has been severely hurt by the current social conflicts decreasing the investment in 3%.19
The current stage of the conflict has extrapolated itself to third party members. Galtuns describes this increase in the spiral coverage as a meta-conflict (like metastasis relative to cancer)20.This characteristic adds extra complicity to the conflict because more incompatible interest are added.
In the Conga polemic third-party individuals are related to the political side. The principal one is
Keiko Fujimori, Alberto Fujimori’s daughter and politician who openly criticize the current president Ollanta Humala as a way of promoting herself as political figure towards the 2016 elections. Added to her, ex-president Alejandro Toledo also uses his political opposition with the same purpose.
After the diagnosis of the conflict and defining the causes and current situation of the conflict, the Peace and conflict theory drives us to analyze the type of issue facing and the approach that should be given. The Conga social conflict at his point has fell out of its well-state into the stage of “virus expansion” where the disease ( violence) is spreading to different social fields. This is defined as ill-state.
After defining the state of the conflict, the next step is Prognosis. “The role of prognosis is determined whether the system is capable of self-restoration to a well-state of whether some
18
Unknown. (2012, October 27).Aprobación de Ollanta Humala descendió a 24%, la cifra más baja de su gobierno
. El Comercio. Retrieved from http://elcomercio.pe/actualidad/1650529/noticia-aprobacion-ollanta-humaladescendio-24-cifra-mas-baja-su-gobierno
19
Unknown. (2012, February 09).Inversión extranjera podría ser frenada por conflictos sociales. El Comercio.
Retrieved from http://elcomercio.pe/economia/1380854/noticia-inversion-extranjera-podria-frenada-conflictos
20
Galtung, J(2000)Participant’s Manual: Trainers Manual, Conflict Transformation by Peaceful means
(The Transcend Method) United Nations Disaster Management Training Programme.pg 1.
16
Other Intervention is needed.21An unavoidable diagnosis is that this conflict is at the ill-state level in which no self-restoration can be the solution. According to Galtung unconscious selfrestoration is possible if in the place beneficial conditions had been placed 22, however in
Cajamarca the cultural and economic situation trough the time has been strongly hurt by the
“rescue room syndrome” which is prevalent in all the society; form the oldest to the youngest members. In addition the use of violence from the government had enforced the lack of trust in the system. The condition of armed forced intervention cannot be considered positive. Even the
“dialogue table” settled by the government having the Peruvian cardinal as facilitator cannot be count as positive enough because of Gregorio Santos’ negative to participate.
In this situation of unconscious self-restoration incapability, Galtung proposes to move on to the next side of the triangle: Therapy. As might be expected the Peruvian government had already taken steps towards the therapy, however those steps do not totally math the Galtung’s approach.
The government strategies has been armed repression, suppression, facilitated dialogue and stopping the mining operations. The order and degree of intensity of those steps are clearly the main social concern. The armed intervention was strongly used while attempts of dialogue were fruitless. In this condition Galtung would agree that the armed forces intervention is a curative therapy towards negative peace.23 In the other hand social suppression is also categorized as curative therapy. Unfortunately the theory affirms that those two approaches will lead to a vicious circle of momentary peace and conflict resurgence. This is what Peruvian history shows us that have been happening in Cajamarca, since the colonization.
21
Galtung, J. (1993). The coming one hundred years of peacemaking. (1st ed., p. 45). New York: Maraise.
Ibid, pg 47.
23
Ibid, pg 48.
22
17
A superior approach takes in account prevention as principal tool towards peace. Prevention,
Galtung suggest, will only be reached avoiding the actioner of the transmitter. In this case the leaders of both sides ruled by the social structure. It is precisely structural violence
24
approach
that fits this conflict the best because It focus on economic and political influence thought: repression and exploitation. The political violence is undoubtedly represented by the use of armed forced to repress the strike. This violence creates an equal response such as the policy intervention in the well-known as “Pregnant strike “in which pregnant women was repelled by violence, as expected the nation reply with total disapprove towards the government and more strikes appeared.25
The economic side of the structural violence also fits perfectly the conflict in study because the main cause of social disconformity was the inequality of opportunities. In fact the main causes are listed as: unplanned social transformation from an agrarian social order to an unequal middle class order, rapid decline of rural subsistence economy, increase dominant urbanized cash-based economy, influx of migrant labor to the region, introduction of the “mining” class in Cajamarca and the preference of mining activities instead of agricultural work.26Undoubtedly the economic violence played an important role in oppression of the community, which leaded to a high degree of counter-violence.
The final stage of this theoretical recognition is delighted by the peace making process.Having already identified the type of violence, the current situation and the central roles in the conflict, It
24
Galtung, J. (1993). The coming one hundred years of peacemaking. (1st ed., p. 45). New York: Maraise.pg 49
25
Unknown. (2012, July 28).Marcha de las embarazadas termina en desgracia. El Comercio. Retrieved from http://elcomercio.pe/politica/1430118/noticia-valdes-marcha-embarazadas-cajamarca-sinonimo-desesperacion 26
Balarezo, Jorge. Conga: Emerging socio-enviromental conflicts & enviromental politics in Humala 's Peru. manuscript., Norwegian Latin American Research Network, 2012. NorLarNet http://www.norlarnet.uio.no/pdf/behind-the-news/englis/2012/conga.pdf. 18
is time to insert the final theory: The eight-fold path. The table below presents the order of the factors: Image 4:
Soegten,B. (2012) .Peace Policies for the 21st Century.The Coming One
Hundred Years of Peacemaking by
Johan Galtung.[online image]
Retrieved from: http://www.galtunginstitut.de/network/groups/anythinggaltung/forum/topic/diagnosisprognosis-therapy-a-methodologyfor-encompassig-conflict-analysis/
19
This model is central to the current situation-already explained-. From here all the knowledge about the ways of tackling the four ways of structural violence expressions: army force violent intervention, economic exploitation, political overpowering and cultural repression, can be summarized. The first important charactertistic of this method is the human focus.The four headers in the right focus in the main four levels of human development in society. In this way the responsibility of the leaders and members in each structure receive equal power and responsibility in the peace making process. This approach is important because a the Conga conflict begun as a protest against government overpowering upon the nation’s future and the Cajamarquinos claimed that the relying on one region’s suffer and impoverishment in order to obtain enough money for all the rich people in the capitals was extremely oppression and unequal. Also If this model is follow major participation from Yanacocha company in the peace building process will be ask, in this way the entity which started the conflict will have equal responsibility to change its extractive method and social image.
In fact this model expects something from each sector. First in the case of the military forces, they should carry new tasks substituting defensive defense for defensive means .This will be a start point to further development of nonviolent lines, increasing the value fo non-violent skills in the conflict resolution stages. Second, in the economic dimension, the economic theory used need to be changed in order to increase the internalization of negative externalities and the production of positive ones such as ecological awareness in the nations, and economic equitable economic growth for all the regions. Third in the political situation, It is necessary to change the way of seen democracy taking in mind that population ideals and desires cannot be totally underestimated even when there are holed by a minor, such as Cajamarca. Also the approach to
20
political parties should change from a constant competition for power to a collaborative work between different parties and political sectors. Last, the cultural dimension need to improve, creating a sense of belonging to a country that works equality for all the social classes without exploiting, ignoring or discriminating population sectors based on their geographical locations.
21
Prospects for Peace:
After three years of constant direct and structural violence, an instantaneous positive peace is unlike to happen. The current pathway to positive peace is unclear, but there is a tendency to reach a negative peace that, as explained, in the long run will produce a greater social conflict.
However that the pathway for positive peace is not clear does not mean that It is totally impossible. In this case the current situation shows us that the eight-pathway model can work but in order to do that a real social accomplishment from all the parties is needed. This accomplishment had been shown impossible without third part intervention. The global community and peace entities such as The United Nations will sooner or later be needed If the social self-regulation keeps delaying the resolution of the conflict.
However there is evidence that a third party intervention added to the current social situation might work better at this stage than before because as the time had pass through, the emotions behind the actions has decreased its influence. This is very important when establishing a peace building strategy because solutions can be deeply think without the social pressure of acting fast.
Also, a positive peace between the government and Cajamarca is not totally unrealistic because the political contention is and will eventually stop as the new presidential elections approximate.
This does not mean that the changing president is going to definitely certify a positive peace but
It is a very viable opportunity for dispelling previous misunderstanding and renewing the government image in the societies’ head.
22
Conclusion:
The Conga conflict is a complex situation that until now has no clear end, however the Jhonn
Galtung theories of diagnosis-prognosis-therapy, life-cycle conflict and eight-path model serve as a reasonable way of decoding the conflict and proposing one possible peace-building approach. In this context the responsibility of reaching a sustainable positive peace relies on the society commitment towards the conflict. Both the Cajamarca community and the government have the principal role in promoting equality, while the surrounding individuals have the responsibility of integrating themselves to one of the four main sector of study and work as active members. Even dough now a peaceful ending is not very clear, the prospects of peace are attainable, indeed
Galtung’s positive peace can be achieved If every component of the Peruvian society focus on their role without allowing personal interest be expressed over the nation’s.
It is likely, however that this win-win solution will not reach a hundred percent stage because either allowing or not the mining process either the environment or the economy will be damaged. But as in every extrapolation of theories to the real life, the outcomes will never be perfect. However that is where the importance of these study relies: the active use of knowledge to create practical solutions in viable and realistic way.
23
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