Five hundred protesters ended their three-day occupation of the Electroandes Upamayo dam Thursday after a delegation sent by the Council of Ministers agreed to set up talks to address the local campesinos’ demands.
An agreement was signed, said Junín mayor Percy Chagua Huaranga in comments to daily El Comercio, and as of Friday September 26 negotiations will be launched in Lima to address issues of concern for local farmers.
Residents have demanded the implementation of a sustainable development plan, electrification projects, the decontamination of Lake Junín, and compensations for approximately 3,000 hectares of land that was flooded because of the closure of the dam’s floodgates. Demands also include a greater transfer of 10 percent hydroelectric royalties to the province of Junín.
Representatives from the hydro companies (Electroandes and Electroperú) as well as a representative from the Ministry of Energy and Mines will also participate in the negotiations, reported state news agency Andina.
Before the government delegation could negotiate with the protesters, 70 police tried to intervene, twice failing to disperse the protesters and reopen the dam’s floodgates. On Wednesday afternoon a small confrontation broke out between protesters and police, but no injuries were reported.
