Lima, September 25 (teleSUR-RHC)-- In Peru, over 1,500 residents of various districts of Arequipa province began a three-day mobilization against the Tia Maria mining project on Wednesday.   

The peaceful marchers gathered in the center of Cocachara city, where a significant police cordon of 500 officials was deployed.    

The protesters, coming from Tacna, Moquegua and Puno, demanded the government put a definitive end to the Tia Maria mining project run by the multinational Southern Copper Corporation, chanting slogans like “The valley is not for sale.”

The President of Southern Copper, Oscar Gonzalez Rocha, deplored the protesters' position and called for dialogue.  “We believe that we can generate progress and development.  The only thing we ask for is an opportunity to execute it,” he said.

Protesters warned they will maintain their mobilizations until the government answers their demands, and made the mining company as well as the government responsible for the potential violence in marches, blaming infiltrators.     

The latest polls show that the great majority of the residents of Islay oppose the project and are suspicious of both Southern Copper Corporation and the government.  They fear the mine would end up drastically polluting the Tambo River, whose streams serve to provide farm jobs and agricultural products to the south of Peru and beyond.        

Previous protests that started in May of this year left one police officer and three civilians dead after violent clashes. Another wave of protests in 2011 also resulted in loss of civilian lives.