“We are on the way to authoritarianism. There are no deaths, there are murders " (Servindi [Spanish] - 12/20/2022)

“We are on the way to authoritarianism. There are no deaths, there are murders"

Servindi December 20, 2022 - The National Human Rights Coordinator, organizations and social groups all denounced the violations of human rights in social protests.

They demand the lifting of militarism, investigations, punishment and not one more death. They also announced the visit of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to the country.

The press conference began with a minute of silence in memory of the families of the victims and for those who are no longer there.

Jennie Dador, executive secretary of the National Human Rights Coordinator (CNDDHH), pointed out that, in the face of the crisis being experienced, the IACHR will visit the country. In addition, she warned that they are not willing to put up with one more death.

“Militarization and the discourse of 'terruqueo'* must be lifted because it is not the appropriate response from the State. Currently, 147 detainees have been registered, whose right to defense is obstructed and they are beaten.

“We are on the way to authoritarianism. There are no deaths, there are murders”, Dador pointed out.

For her part, Gloria Cano of the Association for Human Rights (APRODEH) said: “we have audiovisual material that shows completely unarmed people when they were shot by law enforcement in Ayacucho. So far there are nine dead and more than fifty injured.

It was the army that fired at the protesters. This is murder. We are documenting what has happened to file a criminal complaint, Cano stressed.

Zuliana Laines, president of the National Association of Journalists (ANP), denounced that so far, they have registered forty-seven attacks on journalists and the media nationwide.

“We have denounced attacks not only against premises and media equipment, but also against journalists who have suffered injuries,” Laines said.

Liz Meléndez, representing the Feminist Movement, affirmed: “We hold the State responsible for the deaths that have occurred. We ask for investigation, dialogue, consensus, and we reject violence wherever it comes from”. 

Coraly Escobar, organization secretary of the Federation of Students of the Catholic University (FEPUCP) demanded that the State of Emergency be lifted.

She denounced that FEPUCP members were repressed with tear gas bombs and that two students were arbitrarily detained when they were going home.

Killa Sotelo, sister of Inti Sotelo and representative of the 14N Coordinator, expressed that what happened in November 2020 is being repeated, that they are shooting at the body, and that to date her organization has nine detained colleagues.

Edson La Bruja from the same organization denounced “there are several Intis and Bryan but since they don't die near the Palace they don't matter; They want to denounce the collectives for "criminal organization and they are following us through networks just for recording police abuses." 

Luis Villanueva, representative of the General Confederation of Workers of Peru (CGTP), demanded the resignation of President Boluarte, that the country be demilitarized and that this can be resolved by advancing the elections.

"The population must be consulted if they want a constituent assembly," said the representative of the national union.

Finally, Javier Azpur of the Citizen Proposal said that this Congress must decide on the general elections, the executive must press, that they must dialogue and not allow one more death.

Rev. Rafael Goto Silva, Director of the National Evangelical Council and pastor of the Methodist Church of Independence, Lima, warned that “there cannot be an ethical democracy based on murders, that there will be no peace without justice. We need early general elections.”

* The term 'terruqueo' is derived from the word terruco, or "terrorist" in English, a neologism which originated from individuals in Ayacucho describing Shining Path guerrillas during the internal conflict in Peru. Historian Carlos Aguire said that the -uco replaced the ending of the word terrorista by Quechua speakers since they typically terminate words with -uco. Since the 1980s, the word terruco has been carelessly used by right-wing politicians in Peru to target left-wing, progressive, and indigenous groups, with this baseless attack being called a terruqueo.

Tags: #Peru #Protests #State of Emergency #Human Rights #Terruqueo