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Peru Violence, US Silence

Peru Violence, US Silence

Last week, thousands upon thousands of people sent messages to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asking her to demand an end to Peru's violent crackdown on Indigenous protestors who have been blockading roads in order to defend their lands from oil, gas, mining and logging interests.

But still, so far the US has been silent.

Peru's President, Alan Garcia, says that in order to meet its Free Trade Agreement responsibilities to the United States Peru must prioritize the demands of international resource exploitation even as they undermine the land rights of Peru's Indigenous peoples.

That's why today we will amplify our voices and demand action from those who have a responsibility to speak out: the key congressional leaders who ignored the concerns of RAN and the Indigenous groups and supported the Peru Free Trade Agreement.

Tell US Representatives Sander Levin, Earl Blumenauer, Lloyd Doggett and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to tell Secretary Clinton to formally renounce violence against Peru's peaceful Indigenous peoples in the name of free trade with the United States.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Take a stand for Peru's peaceful democratic process

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

Tens of thousands of people have sent letters to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asking her to help stop the Peruvian Government from murdering any more Indigenous activists in the Amazon. I am writing to ask you to do the same -- the US must condemn human rights abuses and environmental destruction.

Peru's government claims that the US-Peru Free Trade Agreement is the rationale for its decrees that open rainforest lands to be developed and the rights of Indigenous peoples to be trampled. After peaceful protests, a violent crackdown began in which dozens of people have been killed.

I am calling on you to take a stand for Peru's peaceful democratic process and respect for the basic human rights of Peru's Indigenous peoples.

Please, Representative, I am asking you to publicly denounce this violent crackdown on peaceful protest in the name of free trade, and call on Secretary Clinton to publicly call for the killing in Peru stop so that democracy and human rights can prevail.

Thank you,

Campaign Launched:
June 19, 2009


Background Information

In 2008, President Garcia created 99 laws designed to open up Peru's lands to multinational corporations for oil and gas exploration by executive order, bypassing Peru's Congress and any debate in Peru's democratic government.

While the Peruvian Congress reviews whether these executive orders are constitutional, tens of thousands of Indigenous peoples have been peacefully marching and blockading to prevent the rainforests they depend on from being exploited.

Then, several days ago, the violent crackdown began. In Bagua Grande, 1,400km north of Lima, several thousand indigenous peoples were forcibly dispersed by tear gas and real bullets, killing dozens of Indigenous protesters. Just yesterday, the Congress announced a suspension of two of the laws, but Indigenous leaders have signaled that their peaceful protests will continue until the laws are completely revoked.