Alliance for Responsible Trade

AIDESEP, June 24, 2009.

AIDESEP demanded of the Executive and Legislative powers of Peru to halt the persecution of the indigenous leaders throughout the interior of the country, otherwise, indigenous representation will be obligated to withdraw from the Coordination Group for the Amazon Peoples because while willing to demonstrate good will and engage in dialogue, the government insists on persecution of the representatives of Amazonia.

Daysi Fasabi Zapata, vice-president of the AIDESEP reported yesterday that around 7:30 PM, officials of Utcubamba and four police officers on a patrol entered the headquarters of the Regional Organization of Indigenous Peoples of the North Amazon - ORPIAN looking for indigenous leaders and, not finding them, arrested a young Awajun student Juanito Kunchikui.

 

According to initial investigations by lawyers, the raid was an attempt to arrest the vice president of ORPIA, Leandro Calvo, but the leader was not present, having withdrawn minutes before along with other leaders. Zebelio Kayapo and several Apus, leadership from the Cenepa River and Santiago River had left the area just yesterday afternoon, after a meeting with the Regional President where he was told that they would not agree to start talks with the State if persecution of the indigenous leadership was not first halted.

 

"It is strange that after the meeting with the regional president of the Amazonas and the Apus where actions of friendship were identified, yesterday this action should occur to alarm the indigenous peoples, creating doubt and mistrust of the intentions of the government and therefore, we have received the mandate to seek immediate cessation of the persecution of all our brothers who are indigenous leaders. Unfortunately, should this not occur, we will have to withdraw from the National Group. Today we ask for public demonstration that the Indigenous Pueblos are peaceful people, we believe in dialogue, but without persecution, without any kind of harassment: these conditions will not be allowed,” she emphasized.