Per The New York Times, violence has erupted between indigenous protesters and the Peruvian police in the northern Bagua Province. The indigenous groups were protesting the government’s plans to open vast tracts of rain forest to oil drilling, logging and hydroelectric dams, per the article.
Using separate reports from Peruvian authorities and Indian leaders, the Associated Press reported that 25 protesters and 11 police officers were killed. Authorities said that the police were trying to break up a road blockade by 5,000 protesters, some of whom held 38 police officers hostage. Protest leaders said police opened fire from helicopters with bullets and tear gas, per AP.
Twitter users in Peru and elsewhere provided context to the developments:
- jorgejhms (Lima, Peru) en lima protestamos cerca de unas mil personas. los animos están caldeados, la gente indignada. esto no acaba aca #bagua ( about a thousand people in Lima are in protest. heated minds, people are outraged. This does not end here # bagua) 06 Jun 2009 from web
- omar2312 (Undisclosed) ante la magnitud de la tragedia debería establecerse un duelo nacional… pero el gobierno parece incapaz de de pensar en algo así. #Bagua (given the magnitude of the tragedy should be a national mourning … but the government seems incapable of thinking about something) 06 Jun 2009 from web
- newmak (Undisclosed) #Bagua. Hay que armar protesta por las muertes en Bagua. ¿quienes apoyan? (We must assemble in protest at the deaths Bagua. Who supports?)
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Twitter users also commented on the accounts given by the officials and the media: