You helped stop the killings

I have just found this wonderful blog , that argues that international solidarity i.e you dear reader, helped prevent more killings in Peru of indigenous people.

Its put together by CARLOS A. QUIROZ, an indigenous Peruvian living in the US, its great add it to the list.....

Please take a look and link, its in Spanish and English, which is useful.

Through photographs, videos and testimonies I had seeing the brutality of the killings suffered by my people. They were shot, tortured, burned and disappeared in Bagua . This proved not only the brutal practices of the racist and genocidal Garcia regime, but also that they will never respect the lives and rights of its own citizens.

The disgustingly cynical response of the Peruvian government was first to blame the Indigenous leaders of the violence in Bagua. This forced Amazonian activist and educator Alberto Pizango and other two Native leaders to ask for asylum at the Nicaraguan embassy in Lima, and Pizango has left the country after a warrant for his capture was issued by the politically controlled Judiciary system of Lima.

When international groups showed support for Pizango and his organization AIDESEP, -including the quick visit of Native actress and activist Q'Orianka Kilcher- then Lima moved on to accuse "some criminal groups” from Bolivia and Venezuela who were agitating and promoting violence among the Indigenous peoples. They even mentioned official authorities from those countries.

Not only the Garcia cabinet made a huge mistake by sending poor Indigenous and Afro descendant policemen to kill poor Indigenous civilians, but now they had the shameful nerve to blame others of their crimes. Cowards.

After weeks of hard work I was emotionally exhausted and I had to slow down. A meeting of bloggers in Chicago gave me the chance to reflect about what I wanted to do next, and how to do it best.

Today I am convinced that justice in the world -at least in the near future- will depend not only in the leaders of the world but also on the action taken by regular folks like you. People who made those phone calls, sent those emails and letters and expressed an opinion bravely and openly in defense of the Amazon Indigenous peoples of Peru. We can be heard if we want to be, and some world leaders will listen.

Now we must stand vigilant because the threats of violence and abuse in Peru are still there, and I thank you and ask you to continue your support.