THOUSANDS OF AYMARAS ARE BLOCKING INTERNATIONAL ACCESS IN PERU - URGENT !
aymara press officer | 17.04.2004 17:31
More than 40.000 people are protesting against the governmental corruption – The access from the south of Peru, from Bolivia, are blocked since 13 days ago – The local authorities are entrenched – The big protest is affecting all the turistic activities and agro-commercial activities.
ILAVE, Perú (april 16th 2004).– The aymaras communities were, this friday, blocking international access protesting against the governmental corruption, in the meridional province of El Collao, demanding the resign of the mayor. This protest could finish with the paralyzation of the entire region, which is strategic in the comunications between Peru with Bolivia and the rest of South America (Panamerican route). This big protest is affecting all the touristic and commercial activities.
The south part of the panamerican route that communicates Peru with Bolivia, the Mercosur countries and the rest of the continent, has been cutting up, since 14 days ago, by thousands of aymaras coming from the mountains, all along ten kilometers. The route is the contact between the cities of Cusco-Peru, and the city of La Paz-Bolivia, and the rest of Peru.
Since 14 days ago, the town hall, from Ilave, in Peru, is “taken” for more than 25.000 people demanding the destitution (or resign) of the mayor Cirilo Fernando Robles Callomamani. These people reprents all the 90.000 neighbours Aymara from the province of El Collao, in the southeast of the country.
The province of El Collao is situated in the southeast of Peru, limiting with Bolivia, and both contries share the Titicaca Lake. Puno, is the capital of El Collao, and have excellent commercial business with La Paz-Bolivia. This protest is causing a lot of damage to the touristic, and commercial business between this two countries.
At the same time, women, men, children, and young people, who are sleeping and eating in the same square, have occupied the central square of Ilave, “Plaza Las Armas”. They are about 7.000 and 25.000 people, said by the official authorities.
In the meantine, this Friday, thousands of people were going to the capital of the province, Puno, demanding the attention of the authorities (national and regional), but the mayor and his assistants aren’t there. They say that if there aren!t solutions, the would paralyze all the region.
The regional authorities, are trying with the idea of installing Teofilo Contreras Encinas, as a mayor, but they failed, and don’t have any communication with the leaders. The national government had not intervent in this problem that happens in one of the biggest indigenous nations of Peru.
The catholic church of Juli and San Miguel de Ilave, are giving human support and are working in the mediation together with another civil organizations trying to make easier communications between this people and guvernamental authorities
Another access blocked, is the binational route that communicates the coastal zone of Peru with Bolivia and Brasil. This route has an area of influence of four peruvian regions (Arequipa, Moqugua, Tacna and Puno), and the provinces of the bolivian altiplano, with 300.000 kilometres, approximately.
Up to this moment, a mediation comission has been formed, but the problem is in a dead point. The leaders of Ilave and the indian authorities, say that the mayor abused of his power, with repression and ingnoring their demands of development, excluding them of the programs, and made administrative irregularities, and corruption with the public funds, and they are going to fight up to the destitution of him.
Once again, we are witnesses that the poorest countries are at the edge of the great power; they are not hearing in their demands and are trapped in the so-called “democratic systems”. The media groups don!t show anything about this, who are living here, are living these problems. We feel the unjustice together the countries that are peacefully waiting for justice, said the people that are helping the Aymara people.
WE NEED OF YOUR SOLIDARITY – THE NATIONAL PRESS OF PERU IS KEEPING SILENCE THIS SITUATION – PLEASE, SPREAD THIS COMMUNICATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH INDEED
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Vicaría de Solidaridad (Juan Monzón, in spanish): 005151.352125 * e-mail:
jmonzon29@hotmail.com * please ask for english speaker
The south part of the panamerican route that communicates Peru with Bolivia, the Mercosur countries and the rest of the continent, has been cutting up, since 14 days ago, by thousands of aymaras coming from the mountains, all along ten kilometers. The route is the contact between the cities of Cusco-Peru, and the city of La Paz-Bolivia, and the rest of Peru.
Since 14 days ago, the town hall, from Ilave, in Peru, is “taken” for more than 25.000 people demanding the destitution (or resign) of the mayor Cirilo Fernando Robles Callomamani. These people reprents all the 90.000 neighbours Aymara from the province of El Collao, in the southeast of the country.
The province of El Collao is situated in the southeast of Peru, limiting with Bolivia, and both contries share the Titicaca Lake. Puno, is the capital of El Collao, and have excellent commercial business with La Paz-Bolivia. This protest is causing a lot of damage to the touristic, and commercial business between this two countries.
At the same time, women, men, children, and young people, who are sleeping and eating in the same square, have occupied the central square of Ilave, “Plaza Las Armas”. They are about 7.000 and 25.000 people, said by the official authorities.
In the meantine, this Friday, thousands of people were going to the capital of the province, Puno, demanding the attention of the authorities (national and regional), but the mayor and his assistants aren’t there. They say that if there aren!t solutions, the would paralyze all the region.
The regional authorities, are trying with the idea of installing Teofilo Contreras Encinas, as a mayor, but they failed, and don’t have any communication with the leaders. The national government had not intervent in this problem that happens in one of the biggest indigenous nations of Peru.
The catholic church of Juli and San Miguel de Ilave, are giving human support and are working in the mediation together with another civil organizations trying to make easier communications between this people and guvernamental authorities
Another access blocked, is the binational route that communicates the coastal zone of Peru with Bolivia and Brasil. This route has an area of influence of four peruvian regions (Arequipa, Moqugua, Tacna and Puno), and the provinces of the bolivian altiplano, with 300.000 kilometres, approximately.
Up to this moment, a mediation comission has been formed, but the problem is in a dead point. The leaders of Ilave and the indian authorities, say that the mayor abused of his power, with repression and ingnoring their demands of development, excluding them of the programs, and made administrative irregularities, and corruption with the public funds, and they are going to fight up to the destitution of him.
Once again, we are witnesses that the poorest countries are at the edge of the great power; they are not hearing in their demands and are trapped in the so-called “democratic systems”. The media groups don!t show anything about this, who are living here, are living these problems. We feel the unjustice together the countries that are peacefully waiting for justice, said the people that are helping the Aymara people.
WE NEED OF YOUR SOLIDARITY – THE NATIONAL PRESS OF PERU IS KEEPING SILENCE THIS SITUATION – PLEASE, SPREAD THIS COMMUNICATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH INDEED
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Vicaría de Solidaridad (Juan Monzón, in spanish): 005151.352125 * e-mail:
jmonzon29@hotmail.com * please ask for english speaker
aymara press officer