AIDESEP demanded that Peru’s Executive and Legislative branches halt the persecution of indigenous leaders throughout the country. If they don’t, indigenous representatives will be obligated to withdraw from the Coordination Group for the Amazon Peoples. At the same time that they have shown willingnesss to demonstrate good will and engage in dialogue, the government insists on persecution of the representatives of Amazonia.
Daysi Fasabi Zapata, acting president of AIDESEP, reported yesterday that around 7:30 PM judicial officials of Utcubamba and four police officers entered the headquarters of the Regional Organization of Indigenous Peoples of the North Amazon – ORPIAN looking for indigenous leaders and, when they didn’t find any, they arrested a young Awajun student named Juanito Kunchikui.
According to initial investigations by lawyers, the raid was an attempt to arrest the vice president of ORPIA, Leandro Calvo, who was not present, having left just minutes previously along with other leaders. Zebelio Kayapo and various indigenous leaders from the Cenepa and Santiago Rivers had left the area the previous 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 extremely strange that after a meeting between the regional president of the Amazonas and the indigenous leaders, where cordial actions were identified, that then yesterday this action should occur alarming the indigenous peoples, creating doubt and mistrust of the intentions of the government. As such, indigenous peoples have given us 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 indigenous peoples are peaceful, we believe in dialogue, but without persecution, without any kind of harassment because we will not allow it,” Zapata emphasized.
