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Peru Human Rights and Political Developments Through December

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Peru Human Rights and Political Developments Through December PROFILE SERIES PERU HUMAN RIGHTS AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS THROUGH DECEMBER 1994 JUNE 1995 All the sources of information in this document are identified and are publicly available. PRODUCED BY: INS RESOURCE INFORMATION CENTER 425 I STREET, N.W. (ULLICO BUILDING, 3RD FLOOR) DISCLAIMER The July 27, 1990 Regulations, "Aliens and Nationality: Asylum and Withholding of Deportation Procedures," mandated the creation of a new corps of Asylum Officers to provide an initial, nonadversarial adjudication o f asylum claims. Asylum Officers use asylum law, interviews with asylum applicants, and relevant information on country conditions to determine the merits of individual claims for asylum. The Resource Information Center was created to assist Asylum Officers domestically, and Immigration Officers determining refugee status overseas, by collecting and disseminating credible and objective information on human rights conditions. As specified in the Regulations (8 CFR 208.12), such information may be obtained from the Department of Justice, the Department of State, and "other credible sources, such as international organizations, private voluntary organizations, or academic institutions." Resource Information Center Papers are one of the means by which information reflecting a wide range o f credible sources is summarized for easy access by Asylum and Immigration Officers. The views expressed in Resource Information Center papers do not necessarily represent official U.S. Government opinion, nor do they reflect U.S. foreign policy concerns. This paper was written on the basis of publicly available information , analyses, and comment. All sources are cited. This paper cannot be, an d does not purport to be, either exhaustive with regard to the country surveyed, or conclusive as to the merits of any claim to refugee status or asylum . Updates to this paper may be made from time to time. NOTE: This paper has been particularly written to address the information needs and issues of concern to U.S. Asylum Officers and other Immigration Officers. As such, it may not be exhaustive in its coverage of human rights issues within the country. To facilitate timely acess, certain information may be repeated in several sections of this paper. TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 I. POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC BACKGROUND 3 A. Introduction 3 B. Recent Political History 5 1. 1968-1980 5 2. 1980-1985 6 3. 1985-1990 6 4. 1990-Present 8 C. Economic Conditions 12 D. The Guerrilla Insurgencies 14 1. Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) 15 2. Movimiento Revolucionario Túpac Amaru (MRTA) 21 II. PERPETRATORS OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES 22 A. Peruvian Government and Security Forces 24 1. Security Forces 26 2. Death Squads Linked to the Security Forces 27 3. Civil Defense Patrols (Rondas Campesinas) 30 B. Guerrilla Movements 32 1. Sendero Luminoso 32 2. MRTA 35 C. Drug Traffickers 35 III. LEGAL STRUCTURE AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS 36 A. The 1979 Constitution 36 B. Suspension of Guarantees in the Emergency Zones 37 C. Effect of the Fujimori Coup on Constitutional Rule in Peru 39 1. Decree Laws since the Fujimori Self-coup and the Deterioration of Civil Liberties and Freedom 41 2. Effect of the Decrees on Civil Liberties and Due Process 43 D. The 1993 Constitution -- Codification of Strong Executive Authority and Weakene d Individual Protections against Government Abuse 46 E. De Facto and De Jure Impunity for Human Rights Abuses 49 1. Military Impunity 50 2. The Absence of Judicial Protection 54 IV. HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES 60 A. Abuses Committed by Government Security Forces 61 1. Forced Disappearances 61 2. Extrajudicial Executions 64 3. Arbitrary Arrests and Prolonged Detention 67 4. Torture 70 5. Forced Participation in Civil Defense Patrols 74 B. Abuses Committed by Guerrilla Forces 74 1. Assassinations 74 2. Torture 76 3. Kidnapping 77 4. Forced Enlistment in Guerrilla Units 77 V. GROUPS AT RISK 77 A. Government Officials and Members of Political Parties 78 1. Targeting By Guerrilla Forces 78 2. Targeting By Peruvian Security Forces 79 B. Trade Unionists 80 1. Targeting By Guerrilla Forces 80 2. Targeting By Peruvian Security Forces 81 C. Human Rights Activists and Lawyers 81 1. Targeting By Guerrilla Forces 82 2. Targeting By Peruvian Security Forces 82 D. Witnesses to Human Rights Abuses and Family Members of Victims or Targets 85 1. Targeting By Guerrilla Forces 86 2. Targeting By Peruvian Security Forces 87 E. Community Leaders and Active Members of Non-Governmental Organizations 88 1. Targeting By Guerrilla Forces 89 2. Targeting By Peruvian Security Forces 90 F. Civil Defense Patrols (Rondas Campesinas) 91 G. Academics and Students 92 H. Journalists 95 1. Targeting By Guerrilla Forces 95 2. Targeting By Peruvian Security Forces 95 I. Judges, Prosecutors, and Court Officials 98 1. Targeting By Guerrilla Forces 99 2. Targeting By Peruvian Security Forces 99 J. Members of the Security Forces Who Criticize Military Impunity and Their Families 100 K. Displaced People and Forced Migrants 101 L. Members of Religious Groups 101 1. Targeting By Guerrilla Forces 102 2. Targeting By Peruvian Security Forces 102 M. Health Professionals 103 N. Women 104 1. Targeting by Guerrilla Forces 105 2. Targeting by Peruvian Security Forces 105 O. Residents of the Emergency Zones 107 1. Targeting By Guerrilla Forces 108 2. Targeting By Peruvian Security Forces 108 P. Homosexuals 109 1. Targeting by Guerrilla Forces 109 2. Targeting by Peruvian Security Forces 110 VI. INDEX 111 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Peru is a country experiencing profound economic and political transition. Of the calamities that may befall a nation, Peru has suffered a disproportionate share over the past fifteen years, falling victim to a cycle of political upheaval and economic disruption. More than half of the population suffers extreme poverty. Fourteen years of political violence have taken over 20,000 lives, caused billions of dollars in material damage, and displaced more than half a million people. A cholera epidemic has killed thousands of Peruvians since 1991. Peru has been labeled one of the poorest and most violent nations in South America.1/ Since 1980, successive Peruvian governments have fought a brutal war againstSendero Luminoso (Shining Path), a violent, self-proclaimed Marxist movement which seeks to overthrow the government. In the course of the conflict, both the guerrillas and government security forces have committed grave violations of human rights. Sendero has employed both targeted and indiscriminate violence to terrorize the government and the population. Despite the September 1992 capture of Sendero's leader, Abimael Guzmán, the guerrillas continue to carry out attacks, though at a significantly reduced level.2/ The Peruvian government's response to the threat posed bySendero has been similarly brutal. Disappearances, extrajudicial executions, and torture have proliferated as the government security forces have used broad powers to combat the insurgent movement. In April 1992, President Alberto Fujimori suspended the Peruvian Constitution in a "self-coup" autogolpe( ) that strengthened the executive and military at the expense of democratic institutions and human rights. Abuses perpetrated by the security forces, particularly arbitrary arrest and prolonged detention generally accompanied by torture or other brutal treatment, have continued since Fujimori's coup. 1/ The World Bank, World Bank Development Report 1993 (Washington, D.C.: 1993), p. 238. Among South American nations, only Ecuador and Bolivia have per capita GNP that is lower than Peru. Human Rights Watch, Human Rights Watch World Report 1992 (New York: December 1991), p. 309. National Coordination Committee for Human Rights, Peru 1990-1991: Report of the National Human Rights Coordinator (Lima: 1991) p 1-9. "Shining Path Remains Force to be Reckoned With in Peru," Report by Lucia Newman, CNN (transcript #455-4, 28 September 1993). 2/ U.S. Department of State, "Peru," Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1994 (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, February 1995), p. 481. Human Rights Watch, Human Rights Watch World Report 1993 (New York, December 1992), p. 138. 2 The population of Peru has been caught between the guerrilla insurgency and the government counter-insurgency. The victims of the abuses perpetrated by both sides in the conflict are many: elected and appointed government officials; members of political parties; trade unionists; human rights activists and lawyers; witnesses to human rights abuses and family members of victims; members of non-governmental organizations; community leaders; members of civil defense patrolsrondas ( campesinas); academics and students; journalists; judges, prosecutors, and other court officials; relatives of members of the security forces; displaced people and forced migrants; members of religious groups; health professionals; women; homosexuals; and residents of the Emergency Zones.3/ Amid this tragic recent history are some hopeful signs that the cycle of economic and political calamity may have been broken. The economic situation has improved considerably since 1990. Inflation dropped from 7,650 per cent in 1990 to 15 per cent (est.) annually in 1994, economic growth rose from -20 per cent to +12 per cent, foreign reserves increased from under $500 million to almost $6 billion, net capital flows increased from -$600 million to +$2 billion, and the country has successfully rejoined the international financial community. Nevertheless, despite these impressive economic achievements,
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