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Peru's government confirms Bagua clashes official death toll

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

According to El Comercio, Peru's Government stated today that no State institution has any further information regarding more civil casualties during the violent facts in Bagua, Amazon, as some versions assure.

“No State institution, neither the National Police, the Pubic Prosecutor's Office, Ombudsman Office nor the Red Cross, has any information on the existence of more civil victims,” informed the Chancellery in a statement issued today.

The statement detailed that the confrontations left 33 casualties; 24 police officers and nine civilians.

The official count also states 155 injured people.

“The police came to unblock the routes and was attacked with firearms that caused 24 victims, so they needed to repel the attack. It did not cause the death of more civilians like some alarmist media have reported,” says the statement.

The chancellery states that the Government's goal is to avoid the destruction of the amazonian forests, protecting them from the informal mining and illegal cocaine plantations.

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# Paul says :
June 13, 2009 [ 14:33 ]

Yeah right.  Ohh and now its part of the war on drugs, how convenient.   Next thing they will be presenting photos of natives with WMDS at the UN.

# Shereefa says :
June 13, 2009 [ 16:10 ]

They have to let the native decide what convenience to them and remove these unfaire laws, the native is taking good care of there lands since forever, and they know better, and there aproval is necissary! its not a jungel!! there have to be some democracy.

# wow says :
June 13, 2009 [ 18:25 ]

Paul, you are an Idiot, I guesss the police shot themselves

# Wiracocha says :
June 13, 2009 [ 19:07 ]

That news item seems to put a cap on media hysteria,and other agitating parties with different axes to grind.(except for Windtalker)

One thing bothers me in this news item......"The chancellery states that the Government's goal is to avoid the destruction of the amazonian forests, protecting them from the informal mining and illegal cocaine plantations. "
The last statement from the Government on this very real issue was....to preserve "55 hectares" of natural jungle....so,I guess that the above statement is correct in political terms "avoid the (total) destruction..".
What a joke.....we have average sized dairy cow farms with 3 times that amount of hectares....and I am sure Peru also.
Chau por ahora,
Wiracocha

# fritz says :
June 13, 2009 [ 20:59 ]

Peruvian police and their political masters at their best.
Power comes from the barrel of the gun. And what is a
life (or 50) worth? Why talk if a bullet will do the trick!

# jorge says :
June 13, 2009 [ 22:45 ]

tell that to the policemans families

# Wiracocha says :
June 13, 2009 [ 23:03 ]

Exactamente Jorge.....the natives(or the insurgencies amoungst them)killed the policemen in the first round, then exectued more as hostages.....innocent policemen trying to do their duty.
I hope that contributer/commenter Mericorps is keeping track of these events so that he does not come along with comments like "police slaughter innocent natives"....like was said about Fujimori.
On the other hand, this current Government has had a history (in previous reign) of killing Peruanos from helicopters.....but as I've said in recent contributions in LIP, violence begets violence....hopefully a suitable & fair solution wil be reached soon.

And Fritz....carajo....your name says it all. Go take a long walk on a short pier, willya !!

# Paul says :
June 14, 2009 [ 0:00 ]

Pray tell how does my comment regarding the relationship between cocaine production as referred to in the piece, relate to police shooting themselves.

Wow.  Please understand comments before calling people idiots. 

# Mike says :
June 14, 2009 [ 9:17 ]

Peru's government is not well-organized enought to pull off some sort of mass "conspiracy" to hide many bodies.  And to pull the Red Cross in on it too.

Whether the native people have a good point or not, there were still really bad criminal acts performed by some of them.  Videotape and other evidence abounds.

Yet, there doesn't seem to be any evidence anyone can offer even hinting at a higher death toll for the natives!  Hmmmmmm.........

I hope those who are responsible are brought to justice, and I hope there is peace in Amazonas sometime soon.

# wow says :
June 14, 2009 [ 11:49 ]

Paul read the article again it wasnt about the war on drugs only the last line even mentioned that. Look at the histroy in Columbia scores of natives were slaughtered by the druglords that didnt want thier land used for those purposes. By the way you didnt answer my question who murdered the police, who started the violence, is blocking roads part of a peacfl demonstration?

# wow says :
June 14, 2009 [ 11:53 ]

illegal cocaine plantations. Paul incase you cant read those are the only words in the article about the war on drugs. The articles wasnt about that it was about the riot the natives and left wing insurgents started

# Paul says :
June 16, 2009 [ 9:03 ]

No... but my comment pertained to the war on drugs.  Its not so difficult Wow. 

Anyways.. the point I am making is how govts in all places attempt to use false rational and reasoning to achieve their policy goals.  Essentially, they like to bring out the bogeyman for all occasions and all evils. 

"Illegal cocaine plantaitons" was cleverly tagged on the end of the statement for just that purpose.  Analyse it.  Will the multi national companies that buy up much of the Amazon really give a damn or have an interest in reducing these plantations?  Of course not, they will want to be the best neighbours to avoid unpleasantries.

Two, off the top of my head, examples.

USA - WMD, French, Socialism and Fear. 

PERU - Chile, Anything from the "left" and Chavez, Terrorism / Drugs.

VENEZUELA - Capitalism, Conspiracies, Bush and anything else that smelled of sulphur.


Regarding "leftist" insurgents.  Was it the leftist insurgents who signed a document without democratic consultation which allowed foreign multinationals to deforrest and mine in some of the worlds most precious natural resources? 

Or that signed the FTA which included an agreement wherein Peru undertook to change land ownership laws making it easier for corporations to scoop up the land? 

Is there a term "corporate and govt." insurgents?   If there was wouldnt the term apply in the above context?

Dont know if anyone saw Jaime Bayle on sunday, great interview with one of the "insurgents" leaders.  When asked about humala and other socialist groups participating, he stated that it was not a socialist protest, it was an indigenous protest. 

Stated that some political representatives from the left had tried to be present to assist the cause but were refused, so as not to confuse.  

Judging from the many of the responses to this article, an act of fultility.

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