July 12 Protest March in Lima: "Conga No Va!"

On July 12th, there was a march in Lima demanding:

• That the Ollanta Humala administration keep its electoral promises
• End of repression against the mass movement in Cajamarca and Cuzco's Espinar province against mining concessions
• No to the Conga mining project in Cajamarca

The popular movement in Cajamarca against the concession of mining permits to Yanacocha corp. for the Conga mining project, which would drain a number of lakes and dry up several streams, in addition to leaving the area with a legacy of toxic waste, called for a nationwide support mobilization on the 12th, so the the Conga issue was merged with the march already called by the General Confederation of Peruvian Workers (CGTP). (Marches also took place in Ica, in Arequipa, and -in defiance of a declared state of emergency- in Cajamarca)

The concentration point was at the Plaza Dos de Mayo -right in front of the CGTP headquarters- and the march was to end at the Plaza San Martin, a traditional spot for large political rallies.  In between it wound through downtown Lima, stretching 8-10 blocks across four lanes of road.

By the evening and the following day, the news media -largely pro-"development"- focused their coverage not on the march, the rally, or the demands, but on the graffitti painted on the pedestal of the monument to Gen. San Martin by a group of anarchist youth from the Union Socialista Libertaria.   There were the usual demands that left "distance" itself from, and "condemn", "radicals" and "violent" sectors. The occasion was also used to try to put lefty mayor Susana Villaran on the spot for allegedly not policing the event sufficiently.

The only exception to this bandwagon that I saw among the daily press was La Primera newspaper's coverage.

National Federation of Municipal Laborers

Land and Freedom movement

Peruvian Communist Party

Student Integration movement

San Marcos University students

Delegation from the University of Cajamarca.  They received an ovation from the other marchers.

Movement for Social Affirmation

Teachers' union

Socialist Workers Party

Llariku Collective

Patria Roja, Socialist Party, and Unidad Popular Mariareguista

Alfa and Omega Association of Revolutionary Christians

Hip-Hop Bloc

In addition to those shown above there were delegations from the Moviemiento de los Sin Techo (MST, Movement of those Without a Roof), Comite MalpicA, Confederacion de Comunidades Afectadas por la Mineria (CONACAMI, Confederation of Communities Affected by Mining) - Ancash region, Todas la Voces (All Voices), Accion Critica (Critical Action), Izquierda Universitaria PUCP (University Left of the Catholic University), students from Federico Villareal university, construction workers' unions, Topi-Top workers' union, mothers' committees, a group of self-described "radical lesbians", water company workers' union, electrical workers union, etc.