The Associated Press reported yesterday on the indigenous people of Panama protesting over the use of their lands for new mining projects. Here are some excerpts from that article:
“Panama police fired tear gas on Sunday to clear blockades of the Pan-American highway erected by indigenous groups protesting at changes to mining laws.
“One person was killed and 39 injured in the resulting clashes.
“Activists started blocking the key highway linking Panama and Costa Rica a week ago over concerns that amendments to the mining law will enable transnational firms to take over their ancestral lands.
“Protest leader Liborio Miranda said an indigenous man in his twenties had been shot dead in the chest.
“[Panama Security Minister] Mulino denied the use of lethal force and said that the cause of the man’s death was unknown.”
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