Comments on: La Oroya: House of Lead: A story of Greed

By: Doe Run smelting criminals offer to pay taxes owed within 760 years | ...en Perú - Travel Culture History News

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 02:14:53 +0000

[…] Run took over operations at La Oroya decades ago from a poorly run government operation that saw the local town and people poisoned to […]

By: » The Central Railway of Peru …en Perú - Travel Culture History News

» The Central Railway of Peru …en Perú - Travel Culture History News — Fri, 22 May 2009 22:25:01 +0000

[…] on the opposite side of the Andes, following the Yauli River which is on the Atlantic slope, to La Oroya. Then it follows the course of the Mantaro River, crossing it to reach Tambo station, passing […]

By: Bob Filter

Bob Filter — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 16:10:59 +0000

I don’t understand how a man like that isn’t terrified beyond belief to die. He looks old as dirt and like theres not that many years left yet he is stepping on the lives of children to make money. Does he know he is not going to take it with him? He may not get justice on earth, but he will stand before God and he most likely will bust hell wide open. What a piece of crap. I just returned from Peru and went through La Oroya and the pollution was terrible. Its a ashamed that such a nice little moutain town could be destroyed by an old wind bag who isnt taking a cent with him when he kicks the bucket in like 5 yrs.

By: moni

moni — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 14:02:59 +0000

This is for Stuart,
I understand that Peru is a third world country but this US greedy company who runs hand on hand with the burocracy of the peruvian govermment as it always has been, it is not to blame and wash hands off and blame the peruvian govermment only, the imperialism and greedy bush and his counterparts and this is coming from years in the past with oil and gold and silver just to take over the product and careless about its people.
There is a say, it is difficult to go up but reputation of the country can go down the ruin in seconds. Look up how the stocks and bonds are doing in US? how million of people are losing homes? do they own something nothing,the average people??? what kind of diseases they have and do they have health coverage??? none the average people, as the british guy says, he probably never ate or found a cozy place and culture combined plus history ??? family oriented.
In US family oriented??? please, first thing if you are elderly kids can wait to place the parents in nursing home so they can take their monies and sell everything what the parents have. Marriage is like marry and changing pants, next?????It is a lovely culture!!!!!Just thing the meaning of life itself, the powerful countries put their noses in other small places to take advantage and more than half of the production what they can get as resources as oil,gold,silver. This is not new Stuart.
I am peruvian and american holding 2 passports and married to an european and lived in US. Europe and Peru for so many years. The poverty in Peru is sad but because of the corruption, Peru has many resources that many countries in the world doesn’t offer. When i go to Peru I feel connected to nature, the diversity, the colorful on its food the grains the fish, the smell of cooking, the piers, the nature that life offers as the pelicans, the fishes being fish by the fisherman, one of the biggest impression was when i was in Pisco and how fresh fishes you can get from the pier and not far from there, a couple of blocks you can eat as a queen the real fish soup, the ceviche, mariscos, parihuela. I only know I was born Peruvian and i will die Peruvian in heart.
Thank You Jesus for letting me open my mind and let me live in several countries and see the differences. Humanity makes the greediness and the empoverishnes in other countries in the world, especially the leaders!!!!

By: Ward Welvaert

Ward Welvaert — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:48:16 +0000

Thanks for helping raise awareness of this problem. It’s unbelievable how the Peruvian government and big business can be so laissez-faire on the contamination at “La Oroya”.

By: An American Expat's Reaction to CNN's Planet in Peril: Battle Lines, Toxic La Oroya Plant | An American in Lima

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:37:47 +0000

[…] post on “MIning and Environmental Proctions in Peru” and Stuart’s “House of Lead: A Story of Greed.”) That’s because living in Peru means witnessing poverty, hunger, scarce resources […]

By: Stuart Starrs

Stuart Starrs — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:05:33 +0000

EarthJustice made the second video and are an international group.
There’s a very outspoken organisation made up of La Oroyans themselves, but unfortunately I don’t know what their group or their leader is called. I don’t think any group will make a difference though.

The only entities that could make a difference are the western governments who sanction the death and destruction inflicted on the world by their corporations.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:50:38 +0000

This is an important story to follow, Stuart. I’m glad that CNN covered it because the news is finally reaching a broader audience, and every effort that we writers/bloggers make to keep the news front and center supports the people who are living in this toxic hell hole.

As an American expat, it really struck at my heart to see the contrast between how Doe Run U.S cleaned up its act in Missouri and how Doe Run Peru evaded its responsibilities in La Oroya (as shown in the CNN special). The message is so clear: Doe Run thinks Peruvian lives are expendable.

Are you aware of any Peruvian or international groups that are pressuring for action on the Doe Run Peru contamination? I would imagine that many people around the world want to help change the situation, and I’d like to refer people to a good NGO or something, but I don’t know what groups are poised to make a difference.