Population
27 million
54% Indian
32% Mestizo
(mixed European
& Indian descent),
12% Spanish descent
2% Black
Asian minority
Capital City
Lima
Leadership
President
Alejandro Toledo
Religion
90% Roman Catholic
Protestant
Peru
Ambassador
to the
U.S.
Ambassador
Allan Wagner
Embassy of Peru
1700 Massachusetts
Ave, NW
Washington DC, 20036
Phone: (202) 833-9860
Fax: (202) 659-8124
Email:
webadmin@embassyofperu.us
BIO
Peru is located in western central South America. Most of its population can be divided into three
groups. The largest, at 45%, is the indigenous American
population, including modern descendants of the Inca.
Mestizos, an ethnic group of mixed white and indigenous
American heritage, comprise 37%. People of unmixed
European heritage make up about 15%. Other groups
in Peru claim Japanese, Chinese, and black African
ancestry. Like much of Latin America, Peruvian society
and government are based on a hierarchy that places
the wealthier, white classes above the indigenous and
peasant groups. This is largely a lingering result of
colonial policy implemented by Spain.
Over 90% of the population adheres to Roman
Catholicism, originally introduced by the Spaniards and
the official state religion from 1915 until 1980. As was
the case in many Amerindian cultures, however,
Catholicism was often merged with previously existing
religions and rituals surrounding the ‘Apus,’ or mountain
spirits, and other spirits which are widely observed in
provincial Peru. Protestants comprise about 7.5% of the
population, with Muslims and Animists also represented.
After a period of turmoil under intermittent military rule
during the 1960’s and 1970’s a new Constitution was
introduced in 1980 and the country again returned to
democratic rule under the elected President Belaunde
Terry. Corruption and instability continued to plague
Peru, however, as the country took its place as the
leading international producer of coca, the plant base
for cocaine.
Can you recommend
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Luminoso (SL) or "Shining Path", which began and gained wide support in the rural areas of
Peru. “SL”, a Maoist guerrilla movement under Abimael Guzmán, claimed the majority of its
support from the dissatisfied and impoverished peasant population and were responsible for
thousands of human rights atrocities against the general population. Due to the severity of the
threat that the SL presented to the Peruvian government, the authorities have been quick to
arrest and imprison anyone suspected of involvement or co-operation with them and other leftist
guerrilla groups, including Tupac Amaru. Unfortunately the army’s tactics began to resemble
those of the SL and the population found themselves trapped in the midst of the violence between
the two opposing groups. Tens of thousands of civilians were murdered or disappeared in the
years of violence that followed. Hundreds more were wrongly imprisoned by the government.
Fujimori's Faceless Judges
In the 1990’s ex-President Alberto Fujimori put into place
emergency terrorist laws to eradicate
terrorist groups from Peru. He implemented a system of arbitrary detainment and
“faceless
judges.” Thousands of civilians were picked up by
the military or the police. Throughout these
years attending a particular university or living in a certain area were enough
“evidence” to
arrest a person. Some were never seen again.
Others suffered severe torture and were
denied any legal counsel. Often their families
were threatened as well in an effort to force them to
“confess.” The trials consisted of the prisoner alone
in a room facing a two way mirror, behind
which their judges sat. On other occasions the judges wore
balaclavas to prevent identification,
ostensibly for their own protection. The accused were unable to
cross-examine witnesses,
challenge government evidence, or call witnesses
for their defense. Most received guilty verdicts
that had clearly been written before the trial even began and were
given exorbitant prison
sentences ranging from ten years to life in prison in deplorable conditions. Although
some were
eventually vindicated by the Ad Hoc Commission, hundreds
more still languish in prison. Those
who have been found innocent and released are usually unable to clear their
criminal records
and thus far the government has offered no reparations to those who have spent years in prison
for crimes they did not commit.
New Hope
For the first time in years wrongly imprisoned men and
women have real hope that their cases
might be reviewed and they might be released. With the ousting of Alberto
Fujimori late in 2000
and the democratic election of Alejandro Toledo as President of Peru in Summer 2001 many feel
optimistic about the future. Interim President Valentin
Paniagua put various reform mechanisms
into place in the 6 months he held office including a Truth Commission to
investigate the atrocities
committed by all sides during the violent years. He also signed the release papers of over 50
men and women found innocent by the Ministry of Justice.
There is hope that President Toledo
will continue in the same vein.
CSW supports two human rights groups working on behalf of
the prisoners and their families.
CEAS, a Catholic agency, and Paz y Esperanza, an Evangelical group, both provide
legal,
spiritual, physical and psychological support for the
prisoners and their families, many of whom
are financially destitute. The two groups often work together on campaigns
and education of the
general population. If it were not for the tireless lawyers, psychologists and pastoral agents that
work for the two organization many prisoners would have no
hope of release.
Because of the work of groups like CEAS and Paz y
Esperanza in conjunction with individuals
like Father Hubert Lanssiers, imprisoned Christians have been increasingly
granted a special
freedom of movement not enjoyed by other groups. In some prisons a whole cell block may be
set aside for Christians. The doors remaining unlocked and prisoners
may be permitted to move
around at will, keep tools and crafts and hold Bible studies and church services.
While the Peruvian prison authority has made some positive
reforms, severe overcrowding, un-
hygienic conditions, lack of proper medical care and insufficient food and blankets
continue to be
characteristic of Peruvian prisons. In the midst of this all, however, Christian communities are
thriving, holding daily Bible studies, worship and prayer services and
ministering to their fellow
prisoners both Christian and non-Christian. Some released prisoners including Julio
Cusihuaman
Ccorahua and Paz y Esperanza’s Wuille Ruiz
Figueroa have continued in this prison ministry
even after being freed.
Overall Human Rights Situation
Article 2 of the Peruvian constitution guarantees freedom of
religion and conscience to individuals
and groups so long as they do not disrupt public order or offend public morality. All
religious
groups have the write to publish and distribute
literature, as well as broadcast through other
forms of media. The SL, however, was notorious for its rejection of
religion and frequent
harassment of religious workers.
Disappearances were a disturbing feature of life in Peru in
the early 1990s; however, inter-
national pressure has encouraged the authorities to be more accountable for their
actions. The
number of disappearances has declined in recent years but, according to Paz y Esperanza,
there are more than 5,000 cases from previous years yet to be
resolved.