In some recent posts I’ve commented about workers
and educators protesting against the sugar cooperative in the Tumàn District,
charging corruption, incompetence, and the failure to pay workers and teachers.
The protests had been generally peaceful but that has changed abruptly. Late last
week protestors barricaded the road to Cajamarca in an attempt to block sugar
cane transport, and forcefully confronted police who tried to clear the road.
Several police and protestors were injured. Four of the protestors were
arrested and taken to the police station in Tumàn.
Yesterday protestors attacked the police
station in an unsuccessful attempt to rescue the four individuals. They threw
rocks and home-made fire bombs at the station, causing some damage to the
station and an adjacent clothing store. Unable
to enter the station, they took out their frustration by burning a police
motorcycle (photo: Wilfredo Sandoval/El Comercio newspaper). The crowd
dispersed when confronted with a larger police presence.
This situation has escalated far beyond disrupting
the school term. It may be that similar
to the copper mine protests in Tia Maria in the south, we’ll see the military
here to restore peace before it’s over.
No comments:
Post a Comment