From: nyt%nyxfer%igc.apc.org@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu (NY Transfer News)
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive
Subject: Peru Updates/ED-LP
Date: 21 Nov 92 22:55:50 GMT
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Organization: The NY Transfer News Service
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Resent-From: "Rich Winkel" <MATHRICH@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu>


Via The NY Transfer News Service * All the News that Doesn't Fit

Peru Updates from ED-LP 11/20

from El Diario La Prensa 11/20


VIOLENCE IN PERU WILL NOT DISRUPT ELECTIONS: FUJIMORI

President Alberto Fujimori said the wave of violence carried
out by left-wing guerrillas will not prevent the elections from
taking place on Sunday, November 22. Meanwhile Joao Baena,
Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS)
and 200 members of his delegation have arrived to observe the
elections. Some 100,000 people, including police and the
military, will be on hand to "maintina public order" during the
elections. Sone 11 million Puerivans are expected to go to the
polls to elect 80 members of a Constituent Congress to replace
the 60 senators and 180 deputies to the bicamaral Congress which
Fujimori dissolved last April 5 in what was called a "self-coup."
On that date Fujimori also dispensed with the Peruvian
constitution and assumed absolute power. Some 102,000 Peruvians
living outside the country are also expected to vote. The
ballots include 18 lists of candidates from minor parties and
independent groups, as well as the government's two party
alliance, Movimiento Cambio 90-Nueva Mayoria (Change 90
Movement-New Majority). (AP 11/20)


HUMAN RIGHTS WORKERS CONCERNED ABOUT NEW LAWS IN PERU

Human rights workers in Peru are concerned that President
Fujimor's move to eradicate the Sendero Luminoso and Tupac Amaru
left-wing guerrilla movements is resulting in more human rights
abuses in that country. Under the current policy any person
accused of being a "terrorist" has no recourse to defend
themselves.

A human rights lawyer was recently named as a "terrorist." The
lawyer was out of the country at the time, and so escaped capture.
However, a journalist, Mr. Sosa, who has denounced the Peruvian
government's abuses, was in Peru when he was named a terrorist
last September, and has been imprisoned in Peru since then. A
student who escaped from capture by the Peruvian military, whose
name was not revealed, has gashes on his face from being beaten by
rifle butts. He said the soldiers told him to "eat your own
blood, you're a terrorist." His brother was killed last month by
the military. He said that he ignored the Sendero Luminoso until
he was abducted by the soldiers. Now, he says, he is giving them
a second look.

Recently 30 students have disappeared from Peruvian universities.
The student will be smuggled out of Peru and then will apply for
protection by the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner on
Refugees). He said he would not dare to apply to the court system
within Peru for protection, and the UNHCR does not recognize
internal refugees. (WNPR Radio, Week End Edition, 11/21)

President Alberto Fujimori took refuge in the Japanese
embassy last week while his security forces confronted retired
and active military leaders who were planning to overthrow
Fujimori, according to the Peruvian magazine Caretas. Fujimori
denied that he had hidden in the military headquarters on Friday,
November 13, during the attempted coup, but would not say where
he had hidden. The magazine said it had received an audio tape
of a telephone conversation between Fujimori, a military leader
and an intellgience official. According to Caretas the recording
revealed the Fujimori hid in the Japanese embassy.

During the hours of the attempted coup, said the magazine,
"Fujimori felt more Japanese than Peruvian." The Japanese embassy
had no comment. (AP 11/20)

--translated by Toby Mailman, NY Transfer News


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