Natives armed with spears set a roadblock at the entrance of the Amazonian town of Yurimaguas.Photo AFP
Peru Repeals Decrees Behind Clashes -- New York Times
CARACAS, Venezuela — Peru’s Congress Thursday overturned two decrees by President Alan García that were aimed at opening large areas of the Peruvian Amazon to logging, dams and oil drilling, but set off protests by indigenous groups this month in which dozens died.
The move appeared to ease tensions with the indigenous groups, which had continued with their protests and road blockades in parts of Peru despite Congress’s decision to suspend the decrees last month. After the vote on Thursday, however, some indigenous leaders said they would lift the scattered blockades and protests.
“Today is a historic day for all indigenous people and for the nation of Peru,” said Deysi Zapata, a leader of the Peruvian Jungle Inter-Ethnic Development Association, an umbrella group representing more than 300,000 people from dozens of Peru’s indigenous groups.
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Update: Indian leader calls for end to protests in Peru -- Yahoo News/AP
My Comment: The majority of the people in Peru want to develop their natural resources, and are seeing this as a capitulation to the indigenous groups in the North. There is a great deal of bitterness on both sides, and while this repeal will pacify the situation for now, it is not the solution to the problem.
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