The president of Peru has declared a state of emergency due to protests over the country's $4.8 billion gold mine. The majority owner of the mining project is a U.S. based company, Newmont Mining Corp. The protesters are local highlanders who believe that the mine would displace lakes which are reservoirs for the farmers. Some are also angered that they would not gain their fair share of benefit from the mine. Protesters have gone on strike, vandalized property and mounted roadblocks. Many have been injured in clashes with the police. Newmont announced last week that it had suspended the project until order was restored. Peru's president said that the government had "exhausted all paths" but the protest leaders said they had planned to end the strike and had asked government officials to wait twelve hours. The state of emergency means that civil liberties, such as the right to assemble, are restricted and arrests without warrants are allowed.