Peru restores comprehensive protection of NASCAR line reserves after controversial cuts
Bogota, Colombia (AP) – The Peruvian government reversed its controversial decision to narrow the protected areas around the Nazca Line, facing criticism as the area opened to informal miners.
The country's Ministry of Culture on Sunday canceled last week's resolution, which restored the 2004 border map. The switch rebounded strongly in an emergency amid government approval of a 42% reduction in the area – about 2,400 square kilometers (926 square miles) and allowed miners to seek formal permits in previously restricted areas.
The original reserve (spanning 5,600 square kilometers (2,162 square miles)) will remain in effect. The Ministry also ordered the website's management plan to be updated within 10 days and formed a technical team that includes government representatives, scholars, UNESCO and civil society figures to define future use and conservation strategies.
The region in question forms part of a UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Site, home to the Nazca Line, a large number of geographical elements carved into the desert 1,500 years ago and one of Peru's most vulnerable desert ecosystems.
“The government has revoked the reduction in NASCAR's archaeological reserves due to strong rejection of national and international public opinion,” Mariano Castro, former Deputy Environment Minister of Peru told the Associated Press.
Castro said the government believes the decision has not been discussed publicly before.
“In other words, despite the evidence that there is illegal mining, it (the government) has not admitted that the measure is wrong, which seriously endangers the integrity of the NASCAR line and the petroglyphs,” he said.
The ministry said a new government entity will be created to oversee the management of the site and will release technical research to ensure transparency and accountability.
Peruvian environmental lawyer César Ipenza, who is closely following the issue, welcomes the will to include local authorities, but he remains concerned.
“The fact is that local authorities are actually people calling for lowering the borders of the NASCAR line,” Iptenza told the Associated Press. “Miners will also be under strong pressure to do so.”
ipenza fears that the informal mining industry has been steadily expanding even if all mining activities are formally banned.
“The government has not taken action to remove these miners, so there is pressure to formally open the area to allow formalization of informal and illegal miners,” he said.
The Associated Press contacted UNESCO for comment. The organization said it aims to provide information on Tuesday because Monday is a public holiday in France and is headquartered there.
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