Peru: State Dept- Report END

["Chris, London" <100423.2040@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have now completed the posting of the 67K US State Dept Report
on human rights in Peru for 1995.

Far from objective, it was interesting IMO as an attempt to be
authoritative, which is not quite the same thing. It left very important
gaps and also IMO left some challenges for the Peruvian opposition and
the PCP in particular.

I noted among other things.

* even the more liberal portions of the constitution do not exist for
44% of the population under a state of emergency.

* Despite referring to the "extreme" market orientation of the new
economic turn in Peru, the report gives little counter-perspective.
Human rights are at best individual rights. There is no report on the
relevance of the hidden economic factors of the East Asian little tigers:
land reform, extensive investment in education, and a relatively narrow
range of personal income.

* There is no attempt at impartially evaluating the data about the PCP.
For example the following is merely asserted:
>>  However, military authorities organized many of the newer
rondas and sometimes coerced peasants into participating.
 As a regular practice and to a far greater degree, Sendero has forced
peasants to join its military ranks, often for extended periods, and to
participate in terrorist attacks and executions.<<<

One wonders however what sensible peasants are expected to say when
they have been fighting for the PCP and are then subsequenly captured.


* I would be interested to hear comment on the statement that
"in 1995 a weakened Sendero did not conduct any "armed
strikes."


* Note that MRTA are reported as also fighting still.

* There is little summary of Fujimori's semi-constitional coup in 1993(?) only
two years before this human rights report. Surely relevant.

* There is little perspective about the destruction of some elements of
national reformism.

* Nevertheless from its own biassed perspectives the report still
gives abundant evidence of quite unacceptable degrees of oppression
and exploitation in Peru.

Even if these reports were skimmed by only a couple of dozen people
I hope they have given some other external source of reference  for
what is happening in Peru, and reduced the risk of unproductive flame wars.


Chris B, London.



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