Community of San Mateo de Huanchor (Peru)

Admissibility Decision, Report No. 69/04

The Inter-American Commission found petitioners' claim, alleging that Peruvian authorities permitted the continuing use of a toxic waste dump near San Mateo that caused serious contamination and negative health effects, notwithstanding criminal and civil litigation orders to shut down the dump, admissible as an alleged violation of Articles 4, 5, 8, 17, 19, 21, 25, and 26 of the American Convention on Human Rights. Articles 4, 5, 8, 17, 19, 21, 25, and 26 recognize the right of American peoples to life, humane treatment, fair trial, family, rights of the child, property, judicial protection, and progressive development, respectively.