On the eve of Indigenous People's Day (a.k.a. "Columbus Day") I have learned of the brutal and systematic killing of fourteen shamans, allegedly at the bequest of the mayor of the local district, on the eve of the various local indigenous groups coming together to form a coalition. The time has long passed in which the civilized world will tolerate such barbarity against indigenous people.
Please sign the petition, and take independent action, contacting the government officials identified below and demanding that those responsible be brought to justice.
Here is the original call to action:
We have just learned that over the last 20 months,
14 shamans have been murdered in Peru's northeastern jungle region of Loreto. According to the newspaper
La República: The provincial prosecutor's office said that the murders were allegedly ordered by the mayor of Balsa Puerto, Alfredo Torres, and carried out by his brother, Augusto, locally known as "the witch hunter." Only seven bodies have been found, however - either shot, stabbed or hacked with machetes. The seven other shamans have been reported missing. Roger Rumrrill, a leading researcher on Amazonian issues, said the murders are related to "protestant sects" that Torres and his brother belong to, the daily said. "For these protestant sects, the shamans are people possessed by demons, so they have to be killed," Rumrrill said.
More details from the
Peruvian Times.
Take Action
Please ask authorities to immediately address these atrocities and prevent further murders. Contact one or more of the following:
Office of the President of Peru
President Ollanta Humala
Secretary General Luis Chuquihuara Chil
Minister of Justice Francisco Eguiguren Praeli
Email: secretariageneral@presidencia.gob.pe
http://www.presidencia.gob.pe The US ambassador to Peru in Lima
Her Excellency Rose M. Likins
Embassy of the United States
Avenida La Encalada cdra. 17 s/n
Surco, Lima 33, Peru
Phone: (51-1) 618-2000
Fax: (51-1) 618-2397
General email: LimaACS@state.gov
The Peruvian ambassador to the US
His Excellency Harold W. Forsyth
Embassy of Peru
1700 Massachusetts Ave., N.W
Washington D.C. 20036
Phone: (202) 833-9860 to 9869
Fax: (202) 659-8124
http://www.peruvianembassy.us/en.html
Email:
webadmin@embassyofperu.us
Assistant to the Ambassador
Ms. Sara Barboza
Phone: (202) 833-9860
Fax: (202) 659-8124
sbarboza@embassyofperu.usPolitical Department
Head of Department
Mr. Pedro Bravo
Telephone: (202) 261-0269
Fax: (202) 659-8124
pbravo@embassyofperu.us
The Peruvian ambassador to the United Nations
His Excellency Gonzalo Gutiérrez Reinel
820 Second Avenue, Suite 1600
New York, N.Y. 10017
Phone: 212-687-3336
Fax: 212-972-6975
Email:
onuper@unperu.org
United Nations Human Rights
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
High Commissioner Ms. Navanethem Pillay
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Email:
infoDesk@ohchr.org
Amnesty International
Secretary General Salil Shetty
Phone: +44-20-74135500
Fax: +44-20-79561157
1 Easton Street
London WC1X 0DW, UK
http://www.amnesty.org/en/contact (contact form on their website)
Please let your voice be heard.
Thank you.
Susan Mokelke
Executive Director
On behalf of the
Foundation for Shamanic Studies