From Reuters News Service and Amazon Watch
Police Violently Attack Peaceful Indigenous Blockade in the Peruvian
Amazon, Leaving Four Dead and 18 Injured
BAGUA, Peru, June 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Amazon Watch reports
that at approximately 5 a.m. this morning, the Peruvian military
police staged a violent raid on a group of indigenous people at a
peaceful blockade on a road outside of Bagua, in northern Peruvian
Amazon. Several thousand Awajun and Wambis indigenous peoples were
forcibly dispersed by tear gas and real bullets, among them are
reports of at least 18 injured and four confirmed dead, although the
toll is expected to rise.
At 2 a.m. police approached demonstrators as they were sleeping along
the Belaunde Terry road. Demonstrators refused to move the roadblock
as helicopters dropped teargas bombs. Eyewitnesses report that police
attacked from both sides firing real bullets into the crowd as people
fled into the hills. As the unarmed demonstrators were killed and
injured, some wrestled the police and took away their guns and fought
back in self-defense resulting in the death of several police
officers.
The chief of police claimed that protestors were armed, necessitating
the use of gunfire, a claim refuted by dozens of eyewitnesses
including local journalists who report the demonstrators only had
traditional spears and in no way provoked violence. The Garcia
Government yesterday issued an order for the police to begin forcibly
removing indigenous demonstrations that have paralyzed the Amazon for
56 days.
Gregor MacLennan of Amazon Watch stated: "It is absolutely untrue
that indigenous peoples provoked violence. Rather, they are engaged in
non-violent civil disobedience in the tradition of Martin Luther King
and Mahatma Gandhi. It is the Peruvian Government forces that have
provoked violence against peaceful people who are trying to safeguard
the Amazon for future generations for all Peruvians."
Indigenous peoples have vowed to continue protests until Congress
revokes the controversial decrees issued by President Garcia to
implement the Free Trade Agreement with the United States. Recently,
the constitutional committee of Congress ruled that legislative decree
994 and 1090 were unconstitutional. The full Congress was scheduled to
debate decree 1090 yesterday, however, Garcia's party prevented the
debate.
The protests have provoked national debate about government policies
in the Amazon. Human rights organizations are calling for solidarity
demonstrations at Peruvian Embassies worldwide. AIDESEP, the national
indigenous organization of Peru has called for a nationwide general
strike starting June 11th.
Background information available at www.amazonwatch.org, press.
Contact Andrew Millerandrew@amazonwatch.org. |