[R-G] Fwd: Keeping Up with Latin America's Second Best Democracy

[Anthony Fenton]

http://www.borev.net/2009/06/keeping_up_with_latin_americas.html

> Author: BoRev
>
> Peru celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square with a  
> bloody massacre of its own! So far dozens of Indigenous and  
> paramilitary forces have been killed. What the hell, right? Better  
> bloggers have been giving the blow by blow over the weekend. We've  
> just got a half-assed Monday morning roundup:
> Indigenous leaders are upset because the government forced through a  
> series of oil, mining and logging deals turning over large swaths of  
> the Amazon to multinational companies without ever consulting the  
> tribes who actually live on the land.
> After weeks of peaceful protest, dipshit President Alan Garcia  
> decided to respond "with serenity and firmness," which basically  
> meant sending in 400 paramilitaries forces to fire on people from  
> helicopters.
> Protesters took some of the paramilitaries hostage during the melee.  
> Rather than negotiate, the government decided to bust them out,  
> Steve McQueen style, except they bungled the operation, killing nine  
> cops.
> Human rights groups claim up to 100 indigenous have been killed.  
> Douchey government reports say: 9.
> President Alan Garcia has charmingly referred to the Indians as  
> "barbarians," and argues that technically they are "not first class  
> citizens."
> DON'T WORRY b/c the massacre is "unlikely to sour investors in the  
> medium-term or threaten his presidency." Whew!
> The Wall Street Journal says Garcia can't concede to any indigenous  
> demands because Peru's "free" trade agreement with the U.S. won't  
> allow it.
> Average Peruvians (and the UN) have been shocked by the massacre, so  
> the Government has started a hilarious media campaign to  
> blame...Hugo Chavez! Christ nobody would buy that, right?
> Haha: actual headline from Today's Washington Times, "Suspicions  
> Link Chavez to Peru Revolt"
> Here are lots of bloody pictures of the whole awfulness, in case  
> you're into that sort of thing.
> Read more…
>