Peru News Round-Up

- NACLA has a report on the resurgence of the Shining Path and the worrying implications for Peru's indigenous citizens, who generally end up bearing the brunt of state counterinsurgency measures.

[Sendero expert Carlos] Tapia explained that rather than launching a military offensive, the government should address the social and economic needs of the poor areas where Sendero operates.

So easy to say and yet... when will we see this as a concrete policy?

Abuses in Peru's Escalating Fight against Rebels (NACLA)

- Sofia Macher, former commissioner in Peru's truth and reconciliation commission, who is currently heading the Consejo de Reparaciones (reparations board), is complaining that she has not received the promised budget. The shortfall is causing delays in pay outs.

Sofia Macher pide atencion de Estado en reparaciones (CNDDHH)

- The UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, James Anaya, has submitted a report on the violence at Bagua. You can download both a summary and the full version in PDF (both in Spanish) from the CNDDHH website. I'd just like to highlight one point from the summary:

...various representatives of government indicated that the ongoing investigations would focus primarily, or even exclusively, on the possible crimes of the indigenous protesters and not on the possible irregularities committed by the police and other actors during the violent events. This is a worrying fact. [trans. mine]

Worrying indeed.

Relator de la ONU presento informe sobre sucesos de Bagua (CNDDHH)