Peaceful protesters in Peru blockading oil development killed by government police

PLEASE TAKE ACTION to support our Indigenous brothers and sisters in Peru who are literally fighting for their lives at this very moment. In protest of the Peruvian government’s attempts to change laws and the constitution to open up Peru’s Amazon to exploitation by the oil, gas, mining and agribusiness industries to meet its obligations under the Peru-US Free Trade Agreement, Indigenous Amazonians have been protesting non-violently for over 60 days. Just when their protest was gaining national and international attention and support, police attacked protestors in Bagua on Friday morning, killing at least 25 civilians and injuring at least 150. It is rumored that police are on their way to “break up” a protest by the Achuar in the northern Peruvian Amazon.

TAKE ACTION NOW! SEND A LETTER TO PERU’S PRESIDENT, ALAN GARCIA!

http://amazonwatch.org/peru-action-alert.php

Amazon Watch staff is on the ground in Peru now supporting AIDESEP (The Association of Indigenous Amazonians in Peru). AIDESEP has called for a nationwide general strike starting June 11th. AIDESEP has also requested that international observers come to Peru by Wednesday, June 10. It’s short notice, but it’s really important that the Garcia government is aware that the world is watching. Q’orianka Kilcher, actress and Indigenous rights activist, has committed to go to Peru, will you? Contact atossa@amazonwatch.org for more info.

See AIDESEP’s website for more info: www.aidesep.org.pe.

See updates. A June 8 press release indicates that government forces are disposing of bodies in an effort to cover up the number of dead.
http://amazonwatch.org/newsroom/view_news.php?id=1843