By Rodrigo Sales | AIDA Human Rights Attorney
Lately, Juan* can feel the impacts of decades of pollution with every breath he takes. These days, it hurts just to breathe.
Visits to the health center have given him little relief, as there’s been no doctor to diagnose his ailment. Staff there don’t tell him much, but they assure him there’s no link between his pain and the pollution.
For long-time La Oroya residents like Juan, that seems hard to believe.
The people of La Oroya have been living in clouds of toxic smoke for decades; many of them have severe respiratory problems and most of the town’s children’s have elevated levels of lead in their blood.
They go to the health center seeking diagnosis, treatment, and solutions. Most leave with none of the above.
This is concerning, considering La Oroya’s community health center is the entity charged with implementing the precautionary measures—among them access to specialized healthcare—granted by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in 2007.
Over the last six months, together with APRODEH attorneys, I’ve been making regular visits to La Oroya to understand the main issues facing residents there. We’ve been meeting with the people we represent, as well as with local authorities, in order to gather the evidence necessary to support our case against the State.
This information will be presented before the Commission on March 17 in a special meeting with the State of Peru to determine what measures they will take to effectively implement the precautionary measures.
Understanding the State’s intentions takes on special importance now, as the process for the sale of the smelter could begin as early as next week.
I will travel to Washington DC to represent the victims before the Commission. We will ensure both the State and the Commission understand the lack of adequate healthcare in La Oroya.
We will be there to share the realities of residents’ lives, and to propose solutions to the problems they face every day.
We will be there to hold Peru accountable, and to ensure the people of La Oroya get the healthcare they so desperately need and deserve.
* name changed to protect identity.
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