By Liliana Avila | Senior Human Rights Attorney
The people of La Oroya have grown tired of waiting.
We filed their case before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights more than ten years ago, yet they’re still waiting for a decision that will help them secure adequate medical attention and build a healthier community.
In March, we met with the Commission in Bogotá and informed them of the government’s failure to comply with precautionary measures designed to protect residents.
Now the petitioners in the case are sending a letter to the Commissioners to express their “enormous frustration and deep concern about the long wait…”
They wrote:
"Our ailments are getting worse and the situation that exists in both the country and the local area is affecting us more and more, it’s affecting our families and us morally. We remind you, once again, that during all this time, we have lost many friends and neighbors, and have seen our children become ill, their health declining with each passing day.
Commissioners, we feel forgotten and we see that, in the absence of a decision, the State is failing to protect our rights. Proof can be seen in the fact that they’re failing to comply with air quality standards; what’s worse, they’ve actually weakened air quality standards nationally. In addition, the La Oroya Health Center is not receiving the funding necessary to carry out their heavy metal strategy. As a result, we don’t receive adequate medical attention appropriate to our illnesses (quite the contrary, the Health Center has considerably reduced its staff and the quality of medical care). And to top it off, plans are being considered to allocate the assets of Doe Run to the labor creditors so that operations at the Metallurgical Complex may resume, even with the catastrophic consequences that entails. All this is being done without listening to our voice, and in agreement with the company Doe Run Peru.
Members of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights: There have been too many years of waiting and frustration. Given the current context in La Oroya and with no decision by the Commission to protect our rights, we are forced to raise our voices—which may lead us to becoming victims to even greater hostilities, a risk that both we and our families are forced to assume.
We reiterate our invitation to the Inter-American Commission to visit La Oroya so that our situation is known first-hand and so that we are heard. Finally, we urge the Commission, once again, to make a final decision in our case.
You are our last hope for justice."
We will continue supporting the people of La Oroya, and representing them in their case before the Commission, until that justice is found.
By Liliana Avila | AIDA Human Rights Attorney
By Liliana Avila | Senior Human Rights Attorney
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