Agenzia Fides

Lima (Agenzia Fides) - The Bishops of Peru have asked to give life to a "Chain of Prayer for Dialogue and Peace." A few days before National Independence Day of Peru, which is celebrated on July 28, the Peruvian Episcopal Conference (CEP) has published a statement calling "civil society, all men and women of good will, all those who love justice and peace, all institutions and religious facilities in the Country to participate in this chain of prayer." "Close to Independence Day, the celebration of unity among all Peruvians, the Church, aware of the situation that exists in some regions of the Country, especially in Cajamarca, and with the desire to contribute effectively to the solution of existing conflicts between peoples, believes the time has come to unite in prayer to ask for help to the God of peace ": is what the statement sent to Fides Agency says, signed by the President of the CEP, His Exc. Mgr. Salvador Piñeiro García-Calderón, and by all authorities of the CEP.
The area of Cajamarca has been experiencing a very difficult situation for months, which has already caused 5 deaths and many injuries (see Fides 04/07/2012, 05/07/2012) in the violent clashes that opposed the supporters of the project Conga (a mega project for the extraction of gold) and the local population, worried that the project seriously damages the surrounding water basins. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 19/7/2012)