I am very inspired by the indigenous uprisings in Peru that have been taking place for the last three months. Everyone was paying attention to the "revolution" in Iran but almost no media attention was given to Peru or the coup in Honduras. The Amazonian indigenous are standing up against the government and President Garcia due to broken promises that have resulted in foreign companies destroying Amazonian land for resources creating pollution problems that threaten their way of life. It is led by the Association for the Development of the Peruvian Amazon (AIDESEP) and tens of thousands of people have occupied highways resulting in several clashes with police. Here is a good explanation from Wikipedia:
“On June 5 2009, President Alan Garcia ordered Police and military forces to stop Amazon Indians from blocking roads in the Bagua amazon region. The natives had been demonstrating against the signing by Alan Garcia of special decrees that allow foreign corporations to enter the Indians lands for oil drilling, mining and logging. As a result of the actions of the armed forces over 50 Indians have been killed and nearly two hundred disappeared[26]. Eyewitnesses claim that the bodies of the murdered amazon Indians have been dumped into the rivers” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Garc%C3%ADa)
It doesn’t mention that several police officers were also murdered in the clashes (they were brutally killed with machetes) which have led to some people to question the validity of the movement. It’s a good lesson we should always keep in mind…violence solves nothing. I am attaching some links, you should all check out the Real News clips. It’s so radical and awesome!
Real News:
Battle for the Amazon: People vs the government Part 1
http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=4117
Part 2
http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=4117
AIDESEP website (so badass): http://www.aidesep.org.pe/
Peru Natives complain of persecution, may restart protests: http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/global/latin/55733627.html
The fight for the Peruvian rainforest (A clip from the Guardian, mentions torture techniques used by the government forces) http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/video/2009/jul/03/peru-rainforest
In Solidarity,
Maura
“On June 5 2009, President Alan Garcia ordered Police and military forces to stop Amazon Indians from blocking roads in the Bagua amazon region. The natives had been demonstrating against the signing by Alan Garcia of special decrees that allow foreign corporations to enter the Indians lands for oil drilling, mining and logging. As a result of the actions of the armed forces over 50 Indians have been killed and nearly two hundred disappeared[26]. Eyewitnesses claim that the bodies of the murdered amazon Indians have been dumped into the rivers” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Garc%C3%ADa)
It doesn’t mention that several police officers were also murdered in the clashes (they were brutally killed with machetes) which have led to some people to question the validity of the movement. It’s a good lesson we should always keep in mind…violence solves nothing. I am attaching some links, you should all check out the Real News clips. It’s so radical and awesome!
Real News:
Battle for the Amazon: People vs the government Part 1
http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=4117
Part 2
http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=4117
AIDESEP website (so badass): http://www.aidesep.org.pe/
Peru Natives complain of persecution, may restart protests: http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/global/latin/55733627.html
The fight for the Peruvian rainforest (A clip from the Guardian, mentions torture techniques used by the government forces) http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/video/2009/jul/03/peru-rainforest
In Solidarity,
Maura
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