Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA)

Somewhere in Peru, October 1997

The National Directorate of the MRTA would like to inform the people of Peru and the international solidarity movement about the following:

1. Nearly six months have passed since the massacre in the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, during which 17 people lost their lives due to the authoritarianism and intolerance of those who have always inflicted death upon the humble and the poor.

2. On account of these murders, which disgusted the world community, various human rights organizations have brought their case to the Human Rights Commission of the UN, namely that Peru is not a state of law, but rather a dictatorship, where all forms of power are concentrated in the Executive branch, a state without an independent Judiciary, and a regime which is involved in murders and other human rights abuses. The United Nations passed no resolution concerning this fact, nor was the matter even discussed.

3. The regime is continuing to harass and intimidate the relatives and friends of the members of the Edgar Sanchez Commando. For example, simply placing flowers on the grave site of a fallen loved one has been made impossible.

4. The catastrophic situation faced by the political prisoners, the main impetus for the action of the Edgar Sanchez Commando in the first place, has not improved, on the contrary, conditions grow worse day by day. Dozens of Tupacamaristas have been transferred to Yanamayo Prison, as a precursor to their transfer to Challapalca where survival is impossible. No human rights organization has taken a stand against this, and the international public opinion seems unconcerned. In front of the eyes of the world, conditions are being prepared for the destruction of the political and social prisoners.

5. Political and social prisoners in various prisons throughout Peru have reported a series of harassment, including physical and psychological torture by prison guards and soldiers. In response to their appeals, the prisoners receive worse punishments and are transferred to even worse prisons where the chances of their survival are minimal.

6. In order to investigate these claims, former General State Prosecutor for terrorism Daniel Espichan established the Commission on the Abuse of Authority. He is not a suitable person to look after the welfare of prisoners, for it was while he held office that the most brutal of crimes were committed against thousands of citizens: arbitrary arrest and torture by the national police and army, put on trial before clandestine "faceless judges", convicted without a right to a defense, etc.

7. The existence of these courts with "faceless judges" was the clearest sign of a lack of any rule of law in Peru, and they were sharply criticized by the international community. In order to polish his image, dictator Fujimori abolished these courts, but he did not repair the damage that had already been done: thousands of citizens spent years in prison because of these illegal court proceedings. It was a political decision to introduce these illegal courts, one which was an obvious abuse of authority. It is the duty of human rights organizations and the international community to call for all those cases which were brought before these courts to be re-introduced.

8. In view of the United States' recent designation of 30 organizations as terrorist, in order to stop their financing, we Tupacamaristas would like to stress that the real financing of "international terrorism" is carried out by the USA, for example through its development aid programs which help to build prisons, buy weapons, and train armies in the fields of national security, and through programs such as the "School of the Americas" where low-intensity warfare methods are taught. The beneficiaries of these are terrorist regimes like the one of Alberto Fujimori. The people of Tupac Amaru despise the cynicism of the biggest terrorist state of all, and humanity's biggest enemy: the United States of America.

9. The introduction of the neo-liberal economic model in Peru, according to the World Bank's poverty index (1 dollar per person per day), has placed Peru number 10 on the list of impoverished nations, with 49% of its people living in extreme poverty.

10. Against the background of this extreme situation, the people have taken to the streets and demanded more jobs. These just demands were answered with violence from the side of the dictatorship. The repressive policies of the regime are becoming more intense and are heightening state terrorism.

11. According to the logic of the dictatorship, anyone who protests and demands his or her rights must be a terrorist, so to fight against these people the secret service, the army, and the police are all being strengthened and expanded, given better weapons and training. This is an increase of militarization.

12. In line with this militarization, urban and rural regions are being occupied by hundreds of state agents, who have tried, without success, to suppress the popular and revolutionary organizations.

On account of all that has happened in the six months that have passed since the murder of the members of the Edgar Sanchez Commando and Comandante Evaristo (Nestor Cerpa), the MRTA would like to re-iterate its decision to struggle, so that the dream of justice and freedom which our brothers and sisters fell for can be realized. We call on all organizations of our people (political groups, trade unions, neighborhood organizations, and peasant groups) to form a broad front against the neo-liberal model and to struggle against the narco-terrorist dictatorship of Fujimori.

Con las Masas y las Armas, Patria o Muerte ... VENCEREMOS!

MRTA Solidarity Page - http://burn.ucsd.edu/~ats/mrta.htm