By Liliana Avila | Senior Human Rights Attorney
I’m writing this update from the cloudy and cold city of Lima, as I prepare to meet with families that were forced to move from La Oroya to the capital due to the health effects of long-term exposure to heavy metals. I visit Peru often to meet with our clients, both in La Oroya and Lima, and treasure the time we get to spend together discussing the case and addressing their concerns.
This visit, we’ve been focused on strategy and coordination. Between meetings, conversations, presentations and preparations for a national hearing, my objective is clear: listen to the communities, exchange concerns, and define our strategy together.
We work for them, they are the priority and we are here to support them.
In La Oroya, together with APRODEH attorneys, I visited members of Junín and Huancayo communities who we accompany in our case before the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights.
We came to update them on relevant information regarding the case, and discuss our legal strategy going forward, and the impacts it could have.
Earlier this week, we attended a meeting organized by a coalition of people from across Peru, all of whom have been affected by heavy metal pollution. We shared experiences and lessons learned, and began to compile evidence collected of the impacts of various sources of toxic pollution.
Our objective was to help the communities prepare a united front for a public hearing organized by local authorities and civil society coalitions, focusing on the environmental and human health impacts of toxic pollution that will be taking place on May 22. AIDA will not be present but the affected communities we represent will participate.
AIDA is a regional organization, and as such we work hand in hand with local organizations to ensure our clients permanent and accessible support. We work hand-in-hand with APRODEH, and we couldn’t do this work without them.
Together we will discuss and define our litigation strategy in order to continue providing the best possible support for our clients and their communities.
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