Argentina: 20 years since the AMIA attack

I missed the actual anniversary, which was 20 July, but just wanted to share this Youtube video from Memoria Activa on 20 years of impunity for the terrorist attack on the AMIA in Buenos Aires (Spanish only).

Peru: Links between Movadef and Shining Path

While I was off piling up overtime, there was news in Peru of the connections between the political group Movadef and the remnants of the Shining Path terrorist organisation. Movadef works for the release of the imprisoned senderistas, including the leader Abimael Guzmán.

In mid-April, nearly 30 Movadef members were arrested for alleged ties to the Maoist guerrilla group following a two-year investigation into terrorism-financing activities. Among them was head of the movement and Guzmán's lawyer, Alfredo Crespo, and Walter Humala, a cousin of the Peruvian president Ollanta Humala. They may reportedly face long prison sentences of 30-35 years if the case against them is proven.

Crespo is accused of acting as a go-between for the imprisoned Guzmán and the top Sendero Luminoso leader on the outside, "Artemio", until the latter's capture in early 2012. He is also said to have lobbied for and received money from Artemio for Movadef.

The US has welcomed Peru's move. Movadef, naturally, sees itself as the target of politicial persecution.

Alfredo Crespo, líder de Movadef, y Walter Humala fueron capturados por financiamiento del terrorismo (La Republica)
Peru Police Arrest 24 for Alleged Ties to Terrorist Group (Wall Street Journal)
U.S. Supports Arrest of Movadef Members (Peruvian Times)

Peru Uncovers Extent of Shining Path Involvement in Political Wing (Insight Crime)

Movadef: Hasta 35 años de cárcel podrían recibir dirigentes capturados (peru.com)
Movadef solicitó dinero a ‘Artemio’ para retomar lucha armada (El Comercio)

Update: Insight Crime points out that IDL Reporteros has criticised some of the reporting by El Comercio on the depth of links between Movadef and Shining Path. 

Peru: Armed internal conflict

[Spanish speakers might want to skip directly to the links given below; in this post, I'm not claiming to be original. I just feel that the issues raised are interesting and worthy of flagging up on an English-language forum]

In view of the upcoming tenth anniversary of the final report of the truth and reconciliation commission (CVR), a debate has been ignited (or rather, reignited) in Peru regarding the use of the term "armed internal conflict" (conflicto armado interno) to refer to Peru's period of political violence.

Some would prefer the term "terrorism" to emphasise the fact that the main culpable parties were the Shining Path and MRTA. Others suggest "civil war".

This piece on Facebook from El utero de marita expresses the debate really well, pointing out that "terrorism" excludes the large numbers of victims caused by the actions of the state (think Accomarca, Los Cabitos, La Cantuta) and those who do not fall easily into either of the two categories (e.g. Uchuraccay). "Civil war", meanwhile, suggests a conflict with two more or less equally-matched and well-defined "sides", which is also not accurate. He concludes "armed internal conflict includes terrorism, but terrorism excludes many victims that we should not forget". Exactly.

Language is always a contentious issue in these contexts. As far as Peru is concerned, I've always acknowledged the particularly bloody violence of the Shining Path, in particular, by referring to them unequivocally as a terrorist group. I don't refer to the Montoneros as such, for example, nor do I call the Argentine dictatorship the "dirty war" (except occasionally in inverted commas). Argentina did experience some terrorist acts before the 1976 coup, but it did not suffer indiscriminate mass murder of unarmed civilians and the response of the state under the military regime was completely disproportionate. This is why, in Argentina, the armed forces were the primary human rights abusers. In Peru, the Shining Path (and to a far lesser extent, the MRTA) were the primary violent actors, but the state contributed a very significant number of victims as well.

So yes, Shining Path were (are) terrorists, but Peru's armed internal conflict had several actors.

Does it matter? I would suggest it does, since the label we give the period is connected to which victims we decide are worth remembering.

See also:
Sobre el termino conflicto armado interno (Desde el Tercer Piso)

Peru news

Well, a couple of good news stories to report from Peru:

Firstly, president Ollanta Humala decided not to issue a pardon on humanitarian grounds to former president Alberto Fujimori, who will continue to serve his jail sentence for human rights abuses. Humala had been advised by a committee which decided that Fujimori was not suffering from a terminal illness. Indeed, it also found Fujimori was not suffering from a severe physical illness or severe and incurable pychological illness either.

Fujimori is said to be "frustrated" by the decision. I would have been pretty frustrated if someone responsible for numerous murders had got out of prison by faking a terminal illness, so there we go.

Presidente Ollanta Humala decidió no indultar a Alberto Fujimori (El Comercio)
 Las 10 frases que dejó Humala al explicar por qué no indultó a Fujimori (El Comercio)
Alberto Fujimori tomó “con bastante frustración” negativa de indulto (El Comercio)
Peru: Ex-President Is Denied a Pardon (NY Times)
Peru's ex president Alberto Fujimori is denied pardon (BBC)

Meanwhile, Shining Path leader Artemio (Florindo Eleuterio Flores Hala) has been sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorism offences, drug smuggling and money laundering, and ordered to pay reparations of 500 million soles. He will be held in the naval base at Callao, alongside his boss, Abimael Guzmán.

Earlier this week, Artemio wept as he told the court he had "nothing to be sorry for" and said that he would prefer death to life in jail. There is no doubt that he was in the top ranks of a ruthless organisation which slaughtered anyone opposed to it or those who just got in the way (he even gave an interview in which he described the massacre of Lucanamarca, when 69 people died, as a "mistake"). Life imprisonment seems exactly the right result.

So all in all, thumbs up to Peru on both counts.


Terrorista 'Artemio' fue condenado a cadena perpetua y deberá pagar S/. 500 millones (El Comercio)
‘Artemio’ en alegato final: "Prefiero la muerte antes que cadena perpetua" (El Comercio)
Life Sentence for Shining Path Leader (NY Times)
Peru's Shining Path leader jailed for life for terrorism (BBC - great picture in this one of Flores Hala in typical pose, mirroring Guzmán in court)

Argentina and Iran talk about AMIA

Argentine president Cristina Fernandez announced at the UN plans to open bilateral talks with Iran over the terrorist attacks that took place in Buenos Aires (on the Israeli embassy in 1992 and on the AMIA Jewish community centre in 1994).

Argentine foreign minister Hector Timerman and his Iranian counterpart Ali Akhar Salehi met in New York and there are plans for continued meeting in Geneva over the next month. Fernandez said she "expects results", although it is not completely clear what these might be. The stated aim, according to the two countries, is "to explore a legal mechanism that does not go against the systems of either Argentina or Iran."

Israel and the US have both expressed disapproval of the talks.  This is not surprising since the US wants to isolate Iran. However, no matter how repellent the Ahmadinejad regime may be, I don't see how any progress can ever be made without engaging in dialogue with Iran.

Argentina and Iran to discuss bombings in Buenos Aires in the nineties (Mercopress)
Argentina and Iran begin talks on the bombings of 1992, 1994; next round Geneva (Mercopress)
Argentina, Iran say to talk until 1990s bombings resolved (Reuters)
Con un “mecanismo legal” como objetivo (Pagina/12)
Meeting of Argentina and Iran ministers rankles Israel, U.S. (JTA)

Argentina: Concerns over new terrorism law

Having just written about a positive development on Argentina's human rights scene, I also wanted to flag up an issue causing concern: the new anti-terrorism law. The new package of measures is intended to combat financial crimes, but opponents are worried that its vague terms could be employed against legitimate protesters. As a major feature of Argentina's last dictatorship (and, indeed, its previous ones) was the labelling of all dissenters as "terrorists" , it's easy to understand why people are very sensitive to this possibility.

The law has been criticised by Abuelas' president Estela de Carlotto, their lawyer Alan Iud, human rights group CELS, and others.

Tougher Argentine terror laws concern opponents (AP)
Anti-Terrorism Law Upsets Harmony Between Government and Activists (IPS)
Argentine human rights reference openly criticizes the Anti-Terrorism law (Mercopress)
Argentina: Fears Over Terror Law (NY Times)

Peru: Lori Berenson

A selection of coverage of Lori Berenson's release:

Lori Berenson in Peru: A Story of Lobbying (Living in Peru)

Lori Berenson to be released on parole after 15 years (IPS)

American Lori Berenson freed from Peruvian prison after 15 years (LA Times blog; this article calls Berenson an activist and places the word terrorist in quotes, as if it is an unfounded accusation. I find it very interesting to consider this in context of the disgust shown in the American media when, for example, convicted Hamas members are released to scenes of celebration. Yet Berenson was convicted in a democracy - in her retrial - and has not distanced herself from the activities of the MRTA)

US terror convicts freed in Peru after 15 years (AFP)

U.S. citizen Berenson freed from prison in Peru (Reuters)

NY woman who aided Peru rebels free after 15 years (AP)

Peru's executive to look at proposals to expel US citizen Berenson (Peruvian Times)

Quick Links

Mexico
Children of Mexico's Disappeared Seek Justice (Latin America News Dispatch)

Peru
Alleged Letter-Bomb Killer Faces Justice (IPS)

Peru: Elsa Malpartida

Peruvian politician Elsa Malpartida is facing a storm this week following her admission that she was a member of Shining Path/Sendero Luminoso. The MP and former coca farmer claims she was forced to cook for the terrorists during the height of the conflict in the region near Tingo Maria.

Malpartida is now also claiming that the news stories are putting her life, and the lives of her family, in danger from Shining Path members, and this may well be true.

Naturally, there are pretty polarised reponses to these revelations. Is Malpartida a victim, like so many highland Peruvians, who was forced to work for the guerrillas for fear of her life? Or was she more willingly involved?

Part of the issue turns on whether Malpartida took advantage of the Ley de Arrepentimiento (Repentance Law) in the early 1990s. This gave former senderistas the chance to become re-integrated into mainstream society in return for officially renouncing violence and informing on comrades. Many news reports are reporting that she did turn to this legislation, although others are saying that she is denying this on the grounds that she had committed no crime.

As a politician, Malpartida must accept that the public will have an interest in her past. I don't think that it's realistic to exclude anyone who may ever have been involved with Sendero from any participation in public life; in a pervasive conflict like this one, so many were involved that cutting them all out would be very difficult. Besides, roles could be fluid and the same people could find themselves on one side of the battle at one time and then, a few years ago, on the other side. And that's without getting started on the issues of coercion and force. Nevertheless, difficult though it may be, a certain amount of openness would seem to be a prerequisite for those involved in politics - and for the 'reconciliation' part of 'truth and reconciliation' to get started.

Parliamentarian claims she was forced to be a member of Shining Path (Living in Path)
El Milagro de Malpartida (Caretas)
"Ella ha estado en el corazon del terrorismo" (Correo)
Fiscalia analiza vinculo de Malpartido con SL (El Comercio)

Chile: Dictatorship Law to Quell Protests

Chile will use an anti-terrorism law criticized by human rights groups to try and quell a spate of violence over indigenous lands in the country’s south, a government official said.

Chile Invokes Anti-Terror Law to Quell Violence, Rosende Says (Bloomberg)

Peru: Two Soldiers Injured by Sendero

Two members of the military have been shot in an altercation with Shining Path in the VRAE, Junin province. The men have been named as Rusbel Andrade Mozombite and Juan Daniel Tapullima Salas.

Dos militares heridos en presunto ataque de Sendero Luminoso (La Republica)
Dos soldados heridos deja ataque narcoterrorista en el VRAE (El Comercio)

Peru: Terrorist Attack on Base

Three policemen and two civilians are dead after an attack in the VRAE, presumably by Shining Path remnants. According to witnesses, around 60 terrorists attacked the police base.

The victims have been named as Carloto Soto Giuseppi, Javier Fernández Guevara, Prudencio Laurico Mamani, Meylin Tineo Acero and Milagros Acero. The two women who died were apparently relatives of Soto Giuseppi who happened to be in the station at the time. Minister Octavio Salazar has called on Peruvians to "close ranks" against terrorism.

Narco-terrorist group attacks police base in Peru causing 5 deaths (Living in Peru)
Peruvian rebels suspected in attach that kills 5 (AP)
Octavio Salazar pidio a todos los peruanos a "cerrar filas" contra el narcoterrorismo (La Republica)
"Si no los haciamos retroceder, moriamos (La Republica)
El enfrentamiento entre terroristas y policias habria durado una hora (El Comercio)
Atentado narcoterrorista deja cinco muertes en Ayacucho (La Republica)
Por lo menos 50 terroristas atacaron sede policial del poblado de San Jose de Secce (El Comercio)

News Round-Up 1/08/2009

Impunity is the key theme of today's news round-up.

Argentina
1)

Laura Taffetani, the lawyer for the Movimiento de los Chicos del Pueblo network, told IPS that "the prosecution service knows the group (of aggressors) come from a state security or paramilitary force because of the vehicles, weapons and technology they use."

She also complained that "the state should act, but isn't doing anything."

Kidnappings, Threats Target Child Rights Campaign (IPS)

2) This is a really interesting post by Lucas at Collective Memory Project on the memory of terrorist attacks carried out by the extreme left in Argentina. Such attacks did indeed take place, principally just before the military regime took over. Armed groups such as the Montoneros were quickly wiped out by the junta, which then went on to murder thousands more innocent civilians in the name of 'counterinsurgency'. Those who attempt to present this as a 'war' with two equally matched sides are quite frankly lying. Nevertheless, yes, there were victims of leftist political violence in the 1970s, and they are often forgotten.

Memory, truth and justice? (Collective Memory Project)


Colombia
IAPA denounces "scandalous impunity" in the killings of 16 Colombian journalists (Journalism in the Americas)

Guatemala
A great post sketching the legal position of disappearance as an ongoing crime:
Great news in a case of forced disappearance (Guatemala Solidarity Network)

Argentina: New Bs As Police Chief with AMIA Link

The families of those who died in the AMIA bombing are outraged over the naming of police commissioner Jorge "Fino" Palacios as new chief of the Buenos Aires police. According to the lawyer of the families' organisation, Palacios is suspected of covering up the so-called 'local connection' in the bombings. That is, the general accusation is that the bombing was carried out by Iranian elements, but with support within Argentina. The investigation has encountered countless delays and stumbling blocks which have prevented victims from achieving justice in the past 15 years.

Familiares de victimas del atentado a la AMIA repudiaron la designacion de Palacios (Pagina/12)

Fiscal del caso AMIA dice que hay elementos para procesar a Palacios (Telam)

News Round-Up

I was rather unexpectedly out of internet range for the last few days, so here is a round-up of some of the things that landed in my reader during that time: as usual, nothing cheerful from Colombia, I'm afraid.

Victims of Terrorism Speak Out (Colombia Reports)

5,849 People Reported Missing in Bogota (Colombia Reports)

Prosecutor General's Office Exhumes More Than 2,000 Bodies (Colombia Reports)

Yungay 1970-2009: Remembering the Tragedy of The Earthquake (Peruvian Times)

Mexico: Indigenous Rape Victims Fight Military Impunity (IPS)

Interview: Fujimori's Government and Venezuela's Support (Fujimori on Trial)

Argentina: AMIA Investigation Reopened

The New York Times' brief note gives the bare bones of this case pretty succinctly, so for once, here it is in full:

Argentina's Supreme Court ordered the reopening of the investigation into a deadly 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, saying a man previously acquitted in the attack should be retried. The court ruled 4 to 2 that the man, Carlos Telledín, a former car mechanic, should be tried again for his supposed role in providing the van that was loaded with explosives that were detonated in front of the community center, the government news service Telam reported.

Argentina: Inquiry into Bombing to Reopen

More:

Courts Reopens AMIA Bombing Probe (JTA)

AMIA: reactivaron la causa y la comunidad festejo (Critica Digital)

Argentina Issues AMIA Arrest Warrant

Argentina has issued an international arrest warrant for Samuel Salman El Reda, a Colombian national of Lebanese origin, in conjunction with the bombing of the AMIA Jewish cultural centre in Buenos Aires in 1994. El Reda, who is believed to have been living in Lebanon with his Argentine wife, is alleged to be the major local connection for the bombers, whom Argentina believes are Iranians.

The AMIA bombing, and that of the Israeli embassy two years previously, claimed a total of 107 lives and over 500 injured, and remain essentially unsolved - Argentina has named Iranian officials it wishes to try over the matter, but Iran isn't cooperating.

Argentina Seeks Colombian for 1994 Terror Strike (AFP)

Peru: MRTA is a Terrorist Organisation after all?

One of the first major stories this blog followed when it came into existence last year was the decision of the European Parliament not to include the practically-defunct MRTA on its list of current terrorist threats, and the backlash affecting Peruvian human rights organisation, APRODEH (to see the background, just click on 'APRODEH' in the tags list to the right).

Now, it seems that this decision may be reversed, and the MRTA will be classed as terrorists after all. The Peruvian Vice-President is crowing over the change of heart. But how will this reflect on APRODEH? The group have today issued a press release denying that their president, Francisco Soberon, had anything to do with the decision - apparently news agency EFE has been reporting differently but I can't find that particular article.

To be honest, this is all semantics - the EU's decision won't make the MRTA any more of a (non)threat. My only concern is the possibility of further slander and threats against APRODEH.

MRTA debe ser incluido en lista de grupos terroristas de EEUU (La Republica)

MRTA sera incluido en la lista de terroristas (El Comercio)

Presidente APRODEH desmiente haberse pronunciado sobre MRTA y Europarlamento (ADN)

Comunicado de APRODEH (CNDDHH)

This Week in Peru

The political fallout from the Shining Path ambush, which caused the deaths of 14 soldiers, continues, with criticism of the fact that one of the fatalities was a minor. Human rights groups have protested and said that Peru has signed treaties which prohibit the use of child soldiers. Soldiers on military service should be at least 18. It seems inconceivable that a seventeen year old could have been trained to a level suitable for sending him into a dangerous, isolated area to fight unconventional warfare against a ruthless and experienced opponent. And he wasn't alone: apparently over 100 under-18s were recruited from the 'selva' (rain forest) region of Peru last year. Can anyone be surprised when terrified and ill-prepared teenagers either fall victim to attacks, are subject to atrocities, or react by carrying out atrocities themselves?
See also this English-language piece.

Prime Minister Yehude Simon is now saying that those reponsible for sending children into battle will be punished, and is upping the budget and priority level of operations in the VRAE.

As a response to the new attacks, the Peruvian army has doubled their estimate of Sendero's numbers. The fact of the re-estimation is an indication that the armed forces are taking the armed group seriously, but I doubt that anyone can be certain that the figures are accurate. As I recall, the estimates of Shining Path's numbers from the highpoint of the violence vary wildly. By definition, the group is clandestine and doesn't exactly stand up to be counted, and aside from that, there have often been difficulties distinguishing between armed combatants, active supporters, sympathisers, and neutral onlookers.

Peru: Today's Update on the Ambush Aftermath

And it's back to Peru.

The death toll from last week's Shining Path attack is now 14.

Former Interior Minister, and journalist, Fernando Rospigliosi, has called the army's current offensive in the VRAE 'a disaster'. Ex-army chief Donayre has also called for a rethink. Defense Minister Flores-Araoz rejects the criticisms.

Peru defends offensive after deadly rebel attack (AP)

Plus, remember how people have been saying that the human rights organisations are somehow anti-army, pro-terrorism, and don't condemn atrocities when they are against the armed forces? Honestly, I think this is rather like those people who demand condemnations from Muslims when there is an Islamist attack. First, Muslims are not collectively responsible for the actions of certain factions, and second, if they do issue condemnations is anyone even listening? These are HUMAN rights organisations: you qualify for their attentions by being born and contrary to rumour, you don't lose your human rights when you put on a uniform (though don't expect special treatment if you commit a crime either). So, listen up: here are the official repudiations and statements of solidarity for the victims from the CNDDHH, COMISEDH, APRODEH, and three other Ayacuchan organisations.

Oh, and there's an interesting post from Otto at Inca Kola News.