Worldwide solidarity avoided more killings in Peru: the power of independent media and citizen action

Since the very same day of the Bagua attacks, many people in the world carefully followed online and by phone what was happening in Peru. The Amazonian people revolts are an extraordinary event of social protest in a country where human exploitation and racism are happening for centuries. So Alan Garcia did what he knows best: killing innocent Peruvians.

Art by Jaguar Ramone

Along many friends I have personally dedicated days and hours of work, researching and exposing news and data, all of which proves that the Indigenous peoples of Peru were massacred by police forces sent by president Garcia. I got in contact with leaders and groups involved in the protests. This was an amazing -and mostly apolitical- a true grass roots movement, never seeing in Peru since the Tupac Amaru II uprisings in the 18th century against the Hispanic rule.

I must say that this effort has cost me a lot, in terms of my job and personal life as I had to sacrifice my own time and resources, but it has also thought me great lessons, and I'm now convinced that everyone can help the Indigenous struggle in Peru. Humbly, I feel that I was part -along with hundreds of thousands of volunteers around the world- of what the Garcia’s government has called “an international conspiracy” against his abusive rule.

This great work of solidarity throughout independent media -using websites like Blogger, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, MySpace and others- allowed for many in Peru and around the world to know more about what really was happening in Bagua, in times when most international media remained silent with few exceptions. Also we have learned how to take action to firstly, stop violence in Peru and secondly, keep the struggle. This was supported with the skills and hard work of several non profit organizations in the world.

While most of the media in Peru and the U.S. were posting news wrote by Lima’s government manipulated reports, we were sending emails, making phone calls, and reaching out to as many people as possible in order to alert of the horrendous violence perpetrated by Alan Garcia and his shameless cabinet. We "the international conspirators " had no other intention than to support our courageous brothers and sisters of Peru, to protect the Amazon forest as the last lungs of the planet, to defend life and to promote justice for all peoples. It was the right thing to do then as it's now.

Thanks to this collective work, we created awareness in the world and the Garcia administration was pressured to act quickly: they first had to stop violence and avoid more police and military actions. Then Garcia had to repeal two of the controversial presidential decrees that motivated the social uprising. Then Yehude Simon, who was Garcia's prime minister announced that he was going to resign after peaceful talks with the Natives, and the minister of Women rights had resigned already.

Plus an increasing sense of solidarity grew in all of Peru -even among those in centralist Lima who usually ignored the Amazon peoples struggle- and protests and rallies of solidarity were held in several cities including Lima. Peruvians have awaken to reality and most people are concern about possible violence in the future.

Through photographs, videos and testimonies I had seeing the brutality of the killings suffered by my people. They were shot, tortured, burned and disappeared in Bagua . This proved not only the brutal practices of the racist and genocidal Garcia regime, but also that they will never respect the lives and rights of its own citizens.

The disgustingly cynical response of the Peruvian government was first to blame the Indigenous leaders of the violence in Bagua. This forced Amazonian activist and educator Alberto Pizango and other two Native leaders to ask for asylum at the Nicaraguan embassy in Lima, and Pizango has left the country after a warrant for his capture was issued by the politically controlled Judiciary system of Lima.

When international groups showed support for Pizango and his organization AIDESEP, -including the quick visit of Native actress and activist Q'Orianka Kilcher- then Lima moved on to accuse "some criminal groups” from Bolivia and Venezuela who were agitating and promoting violence among the Indigenous peoples. They even mentioned official authorities from those countries.

Not only the Garcia cabinet made a huge mistake by sending poor Indigenous and Afro descendant policemen to kill poor Indigenous civilians, but now they had the shameful nerve to blame others of their crimes. Cowards.

After weeks of hard work I was emotionally exhausted and I had to slow down. A meeting of bloggers in Chicago gave me the chance to reflect about what I wanted to do next, and how to do it best.

Today I am convinced that justice in the world -at least in the near future- will depend not only in the leaders of the world but also on the action taken by regular folks like you. People who made those phone calls, sent those emails and letters and expressed an opinion bravely and openly in defense of the Amazon Indigenous peoples of Peru. We can be heard if we want to be, and some world leaders will listen.

Now we must stand vigilant because the threats of violence and abuse in Peru are still there, and I thank you and ask you to continue your support.
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