[R-G] Fwd: PERU: More "Free Trade" Repression

[Anthony Fenton]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Rights Action <info at rightsaction.org>
> Date: June 8, 2009 8:29:01 AM PDT (CA)
> To: 'Rights Action' <info at rightsaction.org>
> Subject: PERU:  More "Free Trade" Repression
>
> MORE “FREE TRADE” REPRESSION
> THIS TIME IN A PLACE CALLED PERU
>
> BELOW:  A report from Amazon Watch on the recent killing of dozens  
> of indigenous people in Peru.
>
> As you read the reports, understand that this is not “their” issue;  
> this is a global issue; this is “our” issue in the north (el  
> norte).  Since the 1980s and 1990s, the governments of the USA and  
> Canada -- along with our “development” institutions (from the World  
> Bank, International Monetary Fund and Inter-American Development  
> Bank, to our “aid” agencies [US-AID, CIDA]) -- have been pushing for  
> and insisting on the “free trade” trade model of development, on the  
> signing of “free trade” agreements.
>
> WHAT TO DO: See below.
>
> To get on/ off Rights Action's email list:
> http://www.rightsaction.org/lists/?p=subscribe&id=3/
>
> = = =
>
> AMAZON WATCH
>
> In Bagua, Peru:  Gregor MacLennan + 511 - 993 916-389 In the U.S.:   
> Atossa Soltani, 202-256-9795, atossa at amazonwatch.org; Nick Magel,  
> 419-283-2728,nick at amazonwatch.org;
>
> POLICE OPEN FIRE ON INDIGENOUS BLOCKADE IN THE PERUVIAN AMAZON - 25  
> CIVILIANS AND 9 POLICE DEAD, 150 INJURED
>
> Peruvian Government Criticized for Orchestrating Violent Attack on  
> Peaceful Blockade While Censoring Congressional Debate on "Free  
> Trade Laws"
>
> Interviews with Eyewitnesses and High-resolution Photos Available  
> Upon Request Photos of June 5 Police Attack on Peaceful Blockade in  
> Bagua
>
> Bagua, Peru (June 6, 2009)  –  In the early morning hours on Friday,  
> Peruvian Special Forces staged a violent raid on a group of  
> indigenous people at a peaceful blockade on a road outside of Bagua  
> in a remote area of the northern Peruvian Amazon resulting in 25  
> civilians confirmed dead and more than 150 injured.
>
> Over 600 police attacked several thousand unarmed Awajun and Wambis  
> indigenous peoples including many women and children and forcibly  
> dispersed them using tear gas and live ammunition.
>
> Dramatic photos (available on www.amazonwatch.org) of the attack  
> show clearly the police brutally beating and shooting demonstrators  
> at close range.
>
> At 2am police began to approach the demonstrators as they were  
> sleeping along the Fernando Belaúnde Terry road. Demonstrators  
> refused to move from the roadblock as police in helicopters fired  
> teargas grenades and live ammunition. Eyewitnesses report that  
> police also attacked from both sides firing live rounds into the  
> crowd as people fled into surrounding steep hillsides, many becoming  
> trapped.
>
> As the unarmed demonstrators were being killed and injured some  
> wrestled with police, fighting back in self-defense, which resulted  
> in the reported deaths of nine police officers.
>
> In local radio reports the chief of police claimed that the  
> indigenous demonstrators were armed and fired first. This claim has  
> been strongly rejected by dozens of local eyewitnesses including  
> local journalists who confirmed that Amazonian demonstrators have  
> been entirely peaceful and only bear traditional spears and in no  
> way provoked any violence. A point highlighted by the fact that the  
> blockades have been going on for 56 days without a single incident.
>
> Gregor MacLennan of Amazon Watch who is currently in Bagua gathering  
> first hand testimonies from blockade participants, local journalists  
> and residents stated:
>
> "All eyewitness testimonies say that Special Forces opened fire on  
> peaceful and unarmed demonstrators including from helicopters,  
> killing and wounding dozens in an orchestrated attempt to open the  
> roads. It seems that the police had come with orders to shoot. This  
> was not a clash, but a coordinated police raid with police firing on  
> protesters from both sides of their blockade."
>
> "There have been many accounts of atrocities committed by the  
> Special Forces. Some have reported seeing the police throwing liquid  
> on the cadavers and burning them. Also local residents have given  
> accounts of having seen police throwing bodies of dead civilians  
> into the river in an apparent attempt to underreport the number of  
> dead. We've also received accounts that some of those injured were  
> being detained by security forces and denied medical attention  
> leading to additional deaths. There are many people still reported  
> missing and access to medical attention in the region is horribly  
> inadequate."
>
> Peru's Ombudsman's office issued a strong statement yesterday  
> demanding an end to the violence. Letters condemning the  
> government's actions are pouring in from thousands of Peruvians and  
> international human rights activists and organizations. Today,  
> Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, the chair of the Permanent Forum on  
> Indigenous Issues of the United Nations issued a letter expressing  
> "shock and deep distress at reports received of atrocities  
> committed" and calling on the government to "Immediately cease all  
> violence against indigenous communities and organizations."
>
> Indigenous peoples have vowed to continue protests until the  
> Peruvian Congress revokes the "free trade" decrees issued by  
> President Garcia under special powers granted by Congress in the  
> context of the Free Trade Agreement with the United States.
>
> In the past two weeks, the Constitutional Committee of Congress has  
> ruled that legislative decrees 994 and 1090 were unconstitutional.  
> The Peruvian Congress was scheduled to debate the revocation of  
> decree 1090 again on Thursday.  However, Garcia's political party,  
> for the third time, prevented the debate preferring instead to  
> attack the peaceful blockades. The government Ombudsman office has  
> filed a legal action with the constitutional tribunal regarding the  
> unconstitutionality of decree 1064, which affects the land rights  
> laws in Peru.
>
> "Garcia has rejected several congressional debates on the decrees,  
> opting for violent attacks and brute force that will only worsen  
> this conflict. It is outrageous that the ministers are now  
> attempting to blame the victims for this incident and cover up the  
> number of indigenous people dead," said Gregor MacLennan.
>
> The protests have provoked national debate about government policies  
> in the Amazon that ignore indigenous peoples and encourage large- 
> scale extractive industries in Amazonian lands. Indigenous peoples  
> assert that new laws undermine their rights and open up their  
> ancestral lands to private companies for mining, logging,  
> plantations, and oil drilling without their consultation or consent.
>
> AIDESEP, the national indigenous organization of Peru presented a  
> legal petition yesterday for "precautionary measures" to the Inter- 
> American Commission on Human Rights requesting intervention to  
> prevent more bloodshed. Orders for the arrest of leaders of AIDESEP,  
> including Alberto Pizango who is being charged with sedition, were  
> put in effect on Friday.
>
> A coalition of human rights and environmental organizations are  
> urging the Garcia Government to stand down and cease violent  
> confrontations by the military and calling for solidarity  
> demonstrations at Peruvian Embassies around the world. There were  
> demonstrations on Friday at the Peruvian Government missions in San  
> Francisco and Washington, DC. More are planned next week.
>
> AIDESEP, the national indigenous organization of Peru has called for  
> a nationwide general strike starting June 11th.
>
> AIDESEP: www.aidesep.org.pe.
>
> = = =
>
> WHAT TO DO?
>
> Contact AMAZON WATCH:  In Bagua, Peru: Gregor MacLennan,  
> +511-993-916-389.  In the U.S.:  Atossa Soltani, 202-256-9795, atossa at amazonwatch.org 
> ; Nick Magel, 419-283-2728, nick at amazonwatch.org;
>
> EDUCATIONAL DELEGATION TO GUATEMALA - JULY 6-14 Please join this  
> trip that will investigate “Dam ‘Development’ Projects under-mining  
> human rights & the environment”.  Over 9 days, delegates will meet  
> with development, enviro and human rights activists; visit Chixoy  
> hydro-electric dam affected Mayan-Achi communities; visit Mayan  
> Q’eqchi communities that may well be harmed by the pending Xalala  
> hydro-electric dam; visit Mayan-Mam communities being harmed by  
> Goldcorp Inc’s huge gold mine. Interested: Karen Spring: spring.kj at gmail.com
>
> To get on/ off Rights Action's email list:
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>