Peru: Information on prison conditions for political prisoners, "Sendero Luminoso" group and on imprisonment of J. Cosquillo Mercado in 1988

The Peruvian government has repeatedly denied there are any political prisoners in Peru, whereas Amnesty International defines a political prisoner as anyone who is jailed for politically-motivated activities, regardless of their nature. [Amnesty International representation in Ottawa.] Although torture has been reported to have been inflicted on persons detained as suspects of both terrorist activities and common crimes, [ Amnesty Report 1988: Peru, (London: Amnesty International, 1988), and Tolerating Abuses: Violations of Human Rights in Peru, (Washington: Americas Watch, October 1988), pp. 44-47.] reports presently available to the IRBDC do not indicate whether or not the practice continues inside Peruvian prisons.

In a section of a 1986 report covering the prison system, Americas Watch stated:

 "Prison conditions in Peru have long been a particularly shameful aspect of the human rights situation. A combination of neglect and chaos allows inmates to be rightfully discontent with the conditions under which they are held. At the same time, the inmates are very much in control over the inner workings of the institutions in which they are confined. As anyone can see, this is a formula for disaster. The most brutal and the most disciplined among the inmates take advantage of situations of this sort. That is why prisons in Lima in particular have been the site of ever more frequent and violent riots, culminating in the tragedy of June 18 (a mutiny which was violently suppressed, resulting in the death of more than 250 inmates)." [ Human Rights in Peru, (Washington: Americas Watch, 1986), p. 78.] For more recent information on prison conditions in Peru, please find attached the following document:

-A Certain Passivity: failing to curb human rights abuses in Peru, Washington: Americas Watch, November 1987), pp. 33-35.

 Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) is a Maoist guerrilla group reportedly founded in 1970, which made public its existence through sabotage acts in 1980, when democratic elections were held in Peru for the first time in 17 years. [ Europa Year Book 1988: Peru, (London: Europa Publications, 1988), p. 2136; Human Rights in Peru, p. 1; Latin American Political Movements, (London: Longman, 1986), pp. 231-232.] It is based on radical Maoist ideas and is engaged in what the group calls a "people's war" from the countryside to the cities. [ Dissident and Revolutionary Movements, (London: Longman, 1988), p. 291; Latin American Political Movements, (London: Longman, 1986), p. 233.] Leaders of the organization have publicly vowed to "overthrow the government and to eliminate the bourgeoisie and persons who do not accept political re-education". [ Andean Group Report, (London, Latin American Newsletters), 23 June 1988, p. 2.] The group's original centre of operations was the impoverished province of Ayacucho, in the south-central Andes, where Abimael Guzman Reynoso (a) "Gonzalo", leading figure and ideologist whose whereabouts are unknown, worked as a teacher in the local university. Osman Morote Barrionuevo (a) "Remigio", is reportedly the operations leader; he was captured last year and is now in prison. [ Tolerating Abuses, pp. 33-34.]

 In the rural areas, most actions consist of ambushes, raids on towns and acts of sabotage, while in urban areas, it is mostly bombings and selective killings. Americas Watch indicates that most of Sendero's victims are democratically elected officials, union and community leaders and policemen who are killed after they surrender. [ Tolerating Abuses, p. 20.] Sendero is also reported to have murdered numerous development workers, as the group opposes all development programs in the regions where it operates. [ Ibid.] Last year, killings of development workers included, for the first time, foreigners: two young French technicians and a United States engineer, killed in mountain villages where they worked. ["Le Pérou se Décompose", in Le Monde Diplomatique, January 1989, p. 13.]

 Since it began its activities, Sendero Luminoso has been held responsible for the death of more than three thousand local officials, many of them mayors of rural villages, as well as damages amounting to more than US$10 billion; Sendero has not made any efforts to negotiate peace, and the leadership has publicly defended the practice of murdering those viewed as Sendero's political or class enemies. [Tolerating Abuses, p.15.]

 Suffering setbacks in the area of Ayacucho, Sendero is now reported to have concentrated its operations in the Upper Huallaga valley, the cocaine-producing area of the high jungle, cooperating with drug-trafficking organizations; this cooperation, according to Sendero Luminoso, is due to the group's defense of coca-growers' income, but it is reported the Sendero receives weapons and a percentage of the traffickers' income, allegedly in exchange for keeping security forces out of the area. [ Latin American Weekly Report, (London, Latin American Newsletters), 2 March 1989, p. 4; "Drugs, guerrillas a potent combination in Peru", in The Toronto Star, 22 January 1989, p.H4; "With the Shining Path", in Newsweek, 24 April 1989, pp. 44-45, 49.]

 No information on the imprisonment of J. Cosquillo Mercado could be found among the sources presently available to the IRBDC.

 For further information on Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path), please refer to the attached documents:

-Latin American Political Movements, (London: Longman, 1986), pp. 218, 231-233.

-Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1987, (Washington: U.S. Department of State, 1988), pp. 586-597.

-Critique (to the abovementioned publication), (Washington: Human Rights Watch, 1988)

-Revolutionary and Dissident Movements, (London: Longman, 1988), pp. 291-292.

-"Peru's Leftist Rebels Gain Ground", in The Christian Science Monitor, 2 May 1989, p. 3.

-"Guerrillas extend their influence", in Latin American Weekly Report, (London, Latin American Newsletters), 2 March 1989, p. 4.

-"With the Shining Path", in Newsweek, 24 April 1989, pp. 44-45, 49.

-"Caught in a fatal spin toward turmoil", in Time, 1 May 1989, pp. 42-43.

-"Violence accelerates and extends", in Andean Newsletter, (Lima, Andean Commission of Jurists), 16 January 1989, p. 5.

-"Terrorists exploit labour unrest", in Andean Group Report, (London, Latin American Newsletters), 15 December 1988, p. 2.

-"Abuses by Sendero", in A Certain Passivity, (Washington: Americas Watch, December 1987), pp. 18-24.