Holding one of these flags was Mario Palacios, president of the organization, who talked to Real World Radio on the participation of CONACAMI in the Forum, and on the activities related to mining they are carrying out.

Palacios explained that in these activitites they will analyse the role of mining in Latin America. He considered mining as “highly destructive”, because the indigenous people believe it “kills mother Earth”.

The leader also pointed out that the World Social Forum has been a space to debate and discuss alternative proposals, and this is why it is important for the organization to participate and take advantage of the process as an indigenous movement.

Moreover, Palacios stated that the Forum was a space to discuss a new political proposal by the native movements.

Real World Radio asked CONACAMI´s President about his opinion on Majaz mining company, known today as Rio Blanco, due to its role in criminalizing the communities that oppose to mining in Peru, especially with the photos published recently in which the company appears torturing peasants who were agaisnt their activity.

“Until a few months ago, we have been talking in Peru about the situation of criminalization of the social protest, but what is hapenning now in Peru, and it is proven (...) is the issue of paramilitarization. In Peru there is a systematic paramilitarazation by the extractive industries protected by the State and allied with the State, which is an extremely worrying situation”, stated Palacios.

“Paramilitarism has been torturing, prosecuting and in some cases exterminating environmental leaders, and native peoples”, the leader explained and added that they were attacking “the ones who defend their right to develop far from extractive industries, far from contaminant mining”.