Monday, Humanism spokespersons released a statement condemning the violence used by the Peruvian government. “The government is abusing its political power in order to satisfy national and multinational monopoly interests, allowing the murder of indigenous peoples (…)The political power, once again, hides behind solemn declarations meanwhile it is involved in a fratricidal war of uniformed Peruvians against Peruvian civilians”.
Last Friday, after 45 days of peaceful protest in which indigenous peoples protested that 9 government decrees included in Free Trade Agreement negotiations with the United States were unconstitutional, Alan Garcia’s government ordered the repression, leading to the deaths of at least 30 indigenous people and 24 police.
The press release signed by many, including Tomas Hirsch, spokesperson for Humanism for Latin America, called on the Amazonian people to continue their struggle to defend their land and their rights, but to use only non-violent means in their condemnation, non-collaboration, demonstration and organization. It also urged “members of the police and armed forces not to raise weapons against their brothers”.
The humanists called upon the governments of the region to express their condemnation in the face of rising violence and asked for UNASUR to immediately act in the search for a solution towards an immediate ceasefire.
