Iran Iran Iran ... what about Peru?

[subsuelo]

I'm curious how many here are aware that Peru's President Alan Garcia ('friend' of the U.S.) ordered an attack on indigenous protesters last weekend, killing 30 to 40 of them, with over 100 now missing? (these are *very* conservative estimates)

I'm curious because I didn't hear much in the news this past week about it, and I haven't seen much discussion here at DU, other than, of course, in the Latin America forums.

However, now that the Iranian elections are in dispute (rightly, it appears), and we are getting reports about military crackdowns on protestors, all we hear about is Iran, Iran, Iran. That evil Mahmoud guy. We've got to *do* something about those evil Iranians, don't you know?

I'm not defending what's going on in Iran. I am calling attention to an important issue that isn't getting much coverage.

Look it up. And, I might add, ask the question: Why the tremendous imbalance in coverage?

Some links to discussion in the Latin America forum:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x16124">Action page for protest actions/letters/calls on the massacre in Peru
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x16057">Inca Kola News has lots of info about the killing of indigenous people in Amazona (Peru)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x16166">Peru Suspends Decrees that Fueled Amazon Violence
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x16184">Up to 250 Indigenous Peruvians Killed in Bagua, Says Leader Miguel Palacin

[NashVegas]

1. Peruvian Indigenous Are Standing In the Way Of US-Business-Beneficial Progress

Who cares?













:sarcasm: <---- just in case it wasn't obvious

[malaise]

2. I asked about this on the weekend

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[ColbertWatcher]

3. The GOP-cnotrolled media can only handle one story at a time.

And it looks as though Sarah Palin and her slutty family won't stand to be in the shadows.

[scheming daemons]

4. Is there any oil in Peru?

There's your answer.

[Joanne98]

5. The oil companies seem to think so

20,000 PROTEST OVER PERU'S OIL

At least 20,000 students, union members and tribesmen demonstrated in the capital Lima against plans to explore for gas and oil in the country’s Amazon rain forests.

Protesters chanting “the jungle is not for sale” were sprayed with tear gas by riot police as they marched on the city’s congress building.

The scenes come days after Peru’s worst violence for a decade flared between police and tribesmen on a jungle road by Bagua, which killed 53.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/107349/20-000-protest-over-Peru-s-oil

[DCKit]

6. Minerals, land and a new road all the way from Brazil to the Pacific...

to carry the soybeans and cattle they're clearing the rain forest to grow.

[anigbrowl]

7. Peru isn't trying to build nuclear weapons

I do think it's a significant story, and you might be surprised to know it has received serious and balance coverage in newspapers such as the Economist. But like it or not, Iran has much greater strategic significance than Peru, and a possible revolution or change of government in Iran is more significant than bad government in Peru - although the actions of Garcia's government and police should be the basis of criticism and possibly a change in government there.

[subsuelo]

10. The media coverage isn't about nuclear weapons

Let's face it, the corporate media pushes an agenda on the rest of us - who are the 'Good guys' and who are the 'Bad guys'. The goal is to ensure that the western voting population is heavily indoctrinated with who falls in which list.

For example Israel (a country with nukes, and a history of violence against an indigenous population) and Peru's Garcia fall into the Good Guy category, while in Iran, Bolivia, or in Venezuela you have The Bad Guys. That's how the media operate - pushing a political agenda on the masses for the benefit of an elite corporate class.

We need to ask how and why the corporate elite benefit from these methods of indoctrination, imo.

[RaleighNCDUer]

17. You got it. nt

[anigbrowl]

18. It doesn't have to be. It's called context

We know the current president of Iran has been a loud advocate of Iran's nuclear program, a denier of the holocaust, and ambivalent or outright hostile towards the rights of women, homosexuals, and so on. In particular, this has led to an antagonistic relationship with Israel (which does have nuclear weapons and a fairly right-leaning and hawkish government, which has hinted it might be willing to bomb Iran directly to prevent them getting the bomb), to mention the complications of Iraq and the Persian gulf. Those factors are a major reason for our interest in the outcome of the election.

Anyone who has been watching the news or has any serious interest in Middle East affairs knows this already; it's natural for reporters on the story to focus on whats' going on right now. You can drone on about the corporate media all you like, but the basic fact is that a possible revolution taking place right now in Iran is more newsworthy to most people today than the incident in Peru last week.

Meantime, here's some media coverage of Peru, which the Economist saw fit to put in it's 'briefing' section last Friday (ie, top news billing rather than being buried in the Latin America section); http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13824454

[struggle4progress]

8. kick

:dem:

[slipslidingaway]

9. knr nt

[cali]

11. What about Sri Lanka where over ten thousand civilians have been killed in

just a few months?

[G_j]

14. another good example nt

[subsuelo]

15. Great point

I'm 100% with you on that

[inna]

12. rec #11 and THANK YOU for posting this!! NT

[G_j]

13. excellent point !!!

& the world's deadly assault on indigenous cultures continues...

[readmoreoften]

16. K & R /nt

[G_j]

19. kick

[Xithras]

20. The difference is simple: The technological affluence and connectivity of those involved.

The indigenous Peruvians didn't have digital cameras, handheld camcorders, Internet access, and sufficient command of the English language to post images and videos of their struggles and broadcast it to the wider world. The Iranian protesters have taken it upon themselves to shine a spotlight on what they're doing to gain international aid and recognition. The Peruvians didn't.

[eppur_se_muova]

21. It hasn't passed unnoticed at DU ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=search_simple&hits_per_page=25&search_type=advanced&page=2

[Edweird]

22. Iran has oil and nukes. Peru has what? When Peru has the ability to destroy our economy or kill us

all, I'm sure it will be BIG NEWS. Till then, I'm sorry. I hope any friends or family you may have there are ok.

[Duende azul]

23. Trying to be sarcastic? Iran has nukes?

Wow.

[Edweird]

24. oops. My bad.

I thought they did, and when I did a Google search for 'Iran Nuclear Weapons' plenty of hits came up so I took that as confirmation. Shit happens. It's too late to edit.

[no limit]

26. I'm curious what gave you the idea that Iran has nukes

I'm not trying to criticise you, it just seems like the propaganda is working.

[troubledamerican]

25. Could it be because Garcia & Uribe, both fascists, are considered U.S. allies, but Iran is not?

Or could it be that Americans, most DUers included, just don't get it that when democracy is exterminated ANYWHERE, it's a threat to democracy EVERYWHERE?

[dorkulon]

27. Well, Peru isn't working on nukes or within striking distance of Israel,

or on the borders of both Iraq and Pakistan.

Also, they're an ally, and Americans don't seem to care much about South America for some reason. But there are real differences that make Iran more crucial on the world stage at the moment.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention, though. I remember being blown away when I learned about Plan Colombia years ago, blown away by the very fact that I had known nothing of it previously, despite considering myself a "well-informed" individual.

[Raskolnik]

28. Why the imbalance in coverage? Because Peru isn't nearly as important a nation as Iran

in the context of the world economy and regional stability. That's just a fact.

[Judi Lynn]

29. As always, murder, genocide against the indigenous people of Latin America doesn't merit attention

from the citizens whose government is assisting it with their own tax dollars.

The DU'ers who have bothered to keep track already realize the US-favored puppet in the last Peruvian election, "Two Breakfasts" Alan Garcia already had a history of massacres under his belt from his first stint as the President of Peru in the 1980's.

They also are aware that this horrendous, vicious, filthy genocidal assault on the Amazon indigenous peoples' protest against the increasing rape and invasion of their ancestral land is a direct result of the FTA Garcia and the U.S. recently finalized which was championed by pResident _{George W. Bush.}

Unlike the well financed and supplied and organized political protest in Iran, these people stand in direct harm's way from the companies already destroying the forests and rivers of their ONLY HOME on earth, and as they cried out in their protest, with only their home-made spears to protect themselves, Garcia's forces flew overhead in helicopters and fired into them.

Unlike the protesters in Iran who had available cameras, cell phones, internet access, these people could only stand helplessly and watch as their fallen neighbors were even picked up by helicopters, transported a distance and hurled into rivers and canyons.

Some of the latest reports indicate that of the ones taken to the hospitals, it has been discovered they, the injured AND the dead have mysteriously started disappearing, joining the large number of people who cannot be found ANYWHERE by their families.

We have been discussing this for days at DU with scant notice. Many in the States who are aware of the absolutely evil race hatred and contempt the European descended rulers in Latin America have for the indigenous have apparently unconsciously bought into to it themselves, and also view indigenous Latin American people as not worthy of their respect or concern, just like the greedy ####s who rule their countries with US backing, wilding attacking and preying upon all forms of "political" dissent while they rape, plunder, devastate them, their children and their environment with the fold blessings of Washington fat cats and associated other sociopaths.

Here's one good thread posted by L Coyote, with photos, and links, "Up to 250 Indigenous Peruvians Killed in Bagua:"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5828690

From Indiana Green:
Cover-up claim after Peru clashes
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=3915426

From struggle4progress:
Police fire tear gas in Peru protests
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=3918563

These people have been dying for protesting REAL violence to them and their entire world, violence launched against them because they are unable to defend themselves, they are poor, and unable to buy or win protection from powerful allies.

~click for photo~
http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20090606&t=2&i=10407867&w=450&r=2009-06-06T203446Z_01_BTRE55516S700_RTROPTP_0_PERU-VIOLENCE

Native people hold sticks as they barricade the entrance to Yurimagua city, in a remote Amazon region of northern Peru, June 6, 2009.

REUTERS/Enrique Castro-Mendivil

~click for photo~
http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20090606&t=2&i=10407868&w=450&r=2009-06-06T203446Z_01_BTRE55516S800_RTROPTP_0_PERU-VIOLENCE

Native people hold sticks as they barricade the entrance to Yurimagua city, in a remote Amazon region of northern Peru, June 6, 2009.

REUTERS/Enrique Castro-Mendivil

It's too comfortable remaining indifferent, ignorant, unconsciously or consciously racist, so happily educated by propagandists, predators highly skilled at media manipulation for decades. So many are feeding only from material always supplied by US based multinationals and their governmental enforcers in the US Congress and White House, and their lapdog "news" reporters.

Even after all this time they can't be bothered to break down and start learning about US policy regarding Latin America in order to awaken themselves and acquire a conscience.

~~~~~~~~~

PERU: Native Protesters Search for Their Dead

http://www.ipsnews.net.nyud.net:8090/fotos/Nativos_hospital_Bagua_MIlagros_Salazar1.jpg

Wounded indigenous men at
the hospital in Bagua.

Credit:Milagros Salazar/IPS

BAGUA, Peru, Jun 11 (IPS) - Indigenous people taking part in protests near this town in the northern Peruvian province of Amazonas that ended in a bloody clash with the police last week are now focusing on drawing up a list of the dead and missing, amidst a climate of fear and mistrust.

Several eyewitnesses said they saw police load the bodies of dead protesters into a helicopter and dump them into the Marañón river, after the Friday, Jun. 5 incident in which both demonstrators and policemen were killed.

But authorities from the prosecutors office failed to find any more bodies on their third search in the area, carried out on Wednesday.

For the past two months, native protesters have been blocking roads and access to oil industry installations to demand the repeal of a series of government decrees that violate their land rights, which are protected under the constitution and by international conventions signed by Peru.

"The helicopter stopped at least three times to pick up bodies," Luis Padilla, a member of the Awajun ethnic group from Río Santiago in Amazonas province, told IPS. "That was between eight and nine in the morning on Friday," added Padilla, who said it took three days to reach the town of Bagua from his village.

Padilla, who was wary of the camera, said that on Friday, Jun. 5 the police opened fire on the protesters manning the roadblock at a spot along the highway into Bagua called Curva del Diablo (Devil’s Curve), at around 6:00 AM, and that in response the indigenous demonstrators used their spears. "We defended ourselves," he said.

The police "picked up the bodies of our brothers and sisters and dumped them into the Marañón river," added Joel Tupicá, from the district of Nieva, who along with Padilla and another 24 Indians, including two women, were on their way back to their home villages on Wednesday, five days after the violent incident that left at least 30 protesters and policemen dead.

More:
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=47188
By Milagros Salazar

[Judi Lynn]

30. One of the few voices airing news of this genocide has been silenced by Peru's US-supported gov't.

Amazon radio taken off air for bogus reasons after reporting on Peruvian riots
Date: June 16, 2009 Author: Newswatch Desk

Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) has condemned as “bogus” and “dishonest” technical and official explanations given by the Ministry of Transport and Communications for banning broadcasting by the radio station La Voz de Bagua Grande in the town of the same name in Peru’s north-west.

Paris-based RSF called on the government, unhappy at the media’s support for recent indigenous peoples’ demonstrations, to respect rules for the station’s approval including time limits fixed by itself.

“No-body is fooled by the reasons advanced by the government for silencing La Voz de Bagua Grande. This comes after recent clashes in the Amazonian region between government forces and the indigenous population,” RSF said.

“Several voices, both within the police and the government, have accused the station of encouraging the riots. If this accusation was well-founded, why resort to administrative and technical arguments to justify revoking the broadcast licence of La Voz de Bagua Grande? It is an act of censorship and intimidation. We call on the government to keep its own word and to allow the station the right to resume broadcasting”, it said.

More:
http://www.newswatch.in/newsblog/4290

[Judi Lynn]

31. Reporters Without Borders condemns closure of radio station in Peru

Reporters Without Borders condemns closure of radio station in Peru
15 June, 2009 < 12:06 >

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has published a document in its website calling "misleading" and "dishonest" the technical and administrative reasons given for closing the Amazonian station "La Voz de Bagua Grande" (La Voz de Utcubamba).

The decision to close the station came days after the radio was accused of “fomenting the riots between the Armed Forces and native populations,” remarked RSF noted in its statement.

"If this accusation had grounds, why using administrative and technical arguments to justify the cancellation of the station's license?” adds the statement, stating that this is “an act of censorship and intimidation.”

The Peruvian Minister of Interior, Mercedes Cabanillas, had publicly threatened to shut down that station and "Radio Orient" for its alleged "support" of violence against law enforcement officials, recalls Reporters Without Borders.

"This is further evidence of a serious governmental prejudice against freedom of press,” says RSF.

http://www.livinginperu.com/news/9345