The enduring conflict in Bagua (North Peru) between the Peruvian government and indigenous inhabitants of the Amazon have led to violent confrontations on Friday, June 5. According to different sources, between 30 and 84 deaths are reported, and more than 100 were wounded when the security forces tried to stop a roadblock by using violent force. According to the police, the indigenous people fired at the policemen first. This is contested by the representatives of the different indigenous groups: they say that they were only armed with their traditional spears. Most sources affirm that shots were released from police helicopters. Thomas and Marijke also saw how the police took along corpses. “A way to decrease the official death count”, says Marijke Deleu of Catapa.
Announced conflict
During 57 days, indigenous people were on strike and blocked roads. The last two years a large number of ecological and social restrictions on extraction of resources were removed by a changing regulation, leading to a much less restrictive legislation. This eases direct foreign investments in Peru for developing mines and oil and gas exploitations and concessions.
On May 9, the Peruvian government declared the state of emergency in seven provinces of the Amazon areas, which means that “the constitutionally provisions on freedom and security of persons and the immunity of accommodation are temporarily suspended, and that there is a ban on gathering”. Officially to safeguard access to roads and airports, and to prevent production losses due to the actions of the indigenous people. However, on Friday it appeared as an alibi for using violence.
Convention 169 forces the consultation of indigenous people
Criticizing to the actions by the indigenous people, president García referred in a statement by the government to the constitution that “the State retains the ownership of sub-surface resources” and that “all Peruvian people have to profit the natural resources in the country”. The indigenous people do not claim the ultimate ownership of the Amazon forest, but ask for a voice in the decision making process in the development of the region. Alberto Pizango, leader of the umbrella indigenous people’s organisation AIDESEP, explaines: “we do not fight development, but we ask for development from our perspective”.
this article originaly found in Upside Down World, a site covering activism in Latin America:
http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/1896/1/
Photos of the conflict by Thomas Quirynen:
Warning – some pictures from the Peru State massacre are shocking:
http://catapa.be/en/north-peru-killings
More info on the web:
Videos:
http://www.deredactie.be/permalink/1.541690 (dutch)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlD-_NB1CVA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMFZV-coowo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w05nZd1Y9Co
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRj7trvxguw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjBFat1YoNk
Photos:
http://catapa.be/en/north-peru-killings
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tvcultura/3597959493/http://www.flickr.com/photos/34173573@N08/sets/72157619302465028/show/
http://www.vicariatodejaen.org/paroindigena.htm
Other Sources in English
http://amazonwatch.org/peru-action-alert.php
http://amazonwatch.org/newsroom/view_news.php?id=1829
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/06/05/peru-clashes-break-out-in-the-amazon-region/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8086595.stm
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/world/americas/06peru.html?ref=global-home
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/06/05/peru.indigenous.clash/index.html
Other souces in Spanish
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/america_latina/2009/06/090605_1643_indigenas_incidentes.shtml
http://www.democraciaglobal.org/index.php?fp_verpub=true&idpub=600
http://www.prensaindigena.org.mx/nuevositio/2009/06/04/peru-%C2%BFquien-viola-el-estado-de-derecho/
http://www.aidesep.org.pe/index.php?codnota=774
http://www.rpp.com.pe/2009-06-05-cuatro-policias-muertos-tras-enfrentamientos-con-nativos-en-bagua-noticia_186034.html
http://blog.dhperu.org/wp-content/2009/archivos/cartacidh_05junio.pdf
http://www.servindi.org
http://clavero.derechosindigenas.org/?p=1583
http://www.elcomercio.com.pe/noticia/296563/alan-garcia-dice-que-protestas-bagua-hay-intereses-internacionales
http://www.elcomercio.com.pe/noticia/296546/manifestantes-quedan-locales-estatales-apra-bagua-grande
http://www.rpp.com.pe/2009-06-05-emergencia-en-bagua-policias-mueren-y-pobladores-destruyen-inmuebles-noticia_186075.html
http://enlacenacional.com/2009/06/05/enfrentamiento-entre-policias-y-nativos-en-bagua-deja-tragico-saldo/
http://burbujasreloaded.wordpress.com/2009/06/05/mueren-nueve-policias-y-20-nativos-hasta-el-momento/
http://diariodeiqt.wordpress.com/2009/06/06/la-selva-en-llamas/
http://www.adital.com.br/site/noticia.asp?lang=ES&cod=39101
