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Home | Friday 19th June 2009 | Issue 680

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DARKEST PERU

Following the massacre of up to a hundred indigenous protesters by police in Peru earlier this month (See SchNEWS 679) solidarity demonstrations have been taking place across the world with protests outside Peruvian embassies in Bonn, Milan, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Paris, Washington DC, Brussels, Quito, Houston and Denver. Last Monday (14th) a lively demo was staged in London with more set to follow.

Meanwhile in Peru protests have spread throughout the country and a general strike called last Thursday (11th) saw thousands of protesters on the streets, not only in the Amazonian region but also in the capital, Lima, where riot police were called in to break up the demonstration.

The government of president Alan Garcia is now looking increasingly shaky. The Minister for Women, Carmen Vilodoso resigned last Thursday while Prime Minister, Yehude Simon, has now also announced his intention to step down in protest against the actions of his government.

In an attempt to calm the situation down the Peruvian congress last week voted to suspend two of the contentious laws which open up the region to exploitation (See SchNEWS 675). The protesters however, are refusing to be pacified, holding out for the full repeal of all 10 of the laws that Garcia passed as part of a Free Trade agreement with the US.

* See also www.amazonwatch.org and www.aidesep.org.pe

Keywords: free trade, indigenous people, peru


 

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