Presentation Transcript

1. Caught in the Crossfire:

   Indigenous Communities and Popular sectors in the Peruvian Southern Andes, 1980-2000 Victor Maqque History Department University of Notre Dame
2. In the Crossfire Macusani Huaycho Huaycho
3. 1. Context: Rural Peru 1950-2000 Population of Peru according to the Census Bureau of Peru and Cepal. 65% of population in rural areas by 1950 (8 Million) 1961 census 52% in rural areas (10 Million) 2000 72% in urban areas (27 million) Socially: Most indigenous communities lived in the mountains and the rain-forest. Quechua speaking campesinos are the largest group in the mountainous area Social stratification was complex, heterogeneous and multilayered. Intermediaries played a diverse role at local, regional, national level Most while elites and power concentrated in Lima and two coastal cities in the north and south. Illiterate were not allowed to vote. They vote since 1979.
4. Economy: The majority impoverished live on a subsistence economy. They had small, scattered, and unfertile lands. Main products: potatoes, quinua, alpaca, llama, minerals. Most fertile valley lands belong to white and criollolocal and regional elites. Education Rural schools were expanding in 1950s, yet, mostly uni-docentes, primarily boys, irregular attendance with high drop off rates. More regular schools and high schools functioned in the provincial capitals and in the 60s began to grow. In early 1960s in many capitals of departamento (state) a state university was reopened and its population exploded from 300-600 to 2-3 thousand in one decade.
5. Health care Rural areas had no state health care system, only capitals of province had a health care post. Most campesinos continued to use natural medicine (herbs, tea, and rituals). They actually did not want to go to hospitals for their bad reputation. Infant mortality was 160/1000 in 1950s (UN), in rural southern Andes families had between 6-10 pregnancies and only half of them lived longer than 5 years. Overall in the rural and popular areas of the country the presence of the state was minimal. Indigenous communities remained autonomous, local subsistence economy, directly elected their authorities, exercised consuetudinary rights, (customary practice) land rotation, solidarity, bartering, and “rondascampesinas.”
6. 2. The Communist Path During the Cold War the socialist and communist ideologies spread out throughout Latin America. There was a sense that the revolution against US imperialism was around the corner. The Alliance for Progress was highly criticized (The 1969 Rockefeller report assessed it as mainly a failure). The militarization of the US intervention under Nixon was of course deeply resented by the left thought. The reopening of Universities in the “provinces” in early 1960s brought young intellectuals from the more “advanced” cities. The social conditions of the country was extensively discussed and Marx, Engels, Lenin, Mao were the central literature and for many the “Communist Manifesto” was their bible.
7. China-Soviet Conflict 1969 + PCP divided Soviet PS Chinese PC PCP-SL. Abimael Guzman “presidente Gonzalo”
8. PartidoComunista del Peru (PCP) S.L. “To create must destroy” Marxist, Leninist, Maoist, and Gonzalo thought. 1968-69 decided to take the arms, May 19 1980 ILA. Revolution from the country to the city. “Destruction of the old state” Gorriti: History of a millenarian war in Peru Cotler: the Massive assassinations of SL promoted reestablishment of authority and governability at any cost. TRC: An “structural and systematic violence”
9. Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) 5 Phases: 1980-82 beginning of the armed violence. 1983-86 Militarization of the conflict 1986-89 Expansion of the conflict beyond the southern Andes. central rain forest, massive killings of prisoners in the jails. 1989-92 Extreme crisis, both SL and state equally violent response. 1992-2000 Guzman is captured and decline of the subversive actions and state authoritarian and corrupt behavior.. http://www.cverdad.org.pe/
10. 1978-1984 From revolution…
11. 1984- 1998 …to terrorism Maria Elena Moyano: Revolution is promotion of life, Justice, and human dignity
12. M. E. Moyano Feb. 15, 1992
13. TRC Final Report: According to the 2003 Final Report of the Peruvian TRC 69,280 people died in the conflict from 1980-2000. 3 out of every 4 of the victims spoke Quechua as their first language.
14. 3. The Response from the State Disorganized, fire first… repressive, the people is the enemy Militarization, martial law, constant raids to houses and entire communities, violations, detentions, and disappearances. Belaunde: They are a band of felons that will be arrested and punished by the police and the authorities. Garcia: “they have charisma, ideology and have passionate militants for they do what believe in.” Still responded with massive militarization of regions, massive detentions, disappearances, killings. Fujimori: more sophisticated militarization, forced accusations, criminalization of any antigovernment critics. Despolitización: politics is criminal, political parties are evil. Everything must be technical, independent. 1980s THE LOST DECADE.
15. 4. The Evil Spiral of Violence Usually entire communities were occupied by SL. (many forcibly recruited, some young students saw to join them as their only option). Police or military arrived later, and confrontation produced many victims. In Huaycho 2 police and 4 campesinos were reported death. The police or the army arrived right after. Interrogated, tortured, raped and detained men and women. Communities responded: Individually, defying orders from SL gave up their lives. Collectively, with the Ronderos (community police) they were increasingly successful against SL. Fujimori armed them and used them as frontline soldiers. Possession of guns facilitated abuses. Overall communities resented SL, the government, the police, the army, polarized the society and isolated rural and urban poor from most other sectors of the urban society.
16. 5. The Path of the People In the Southeast Andes the Catholic and evangelical Churches the only companions on this tragic decades (TRC 141). Vicarias de Solidaridad, Pastoral letters, mobilizations and denunciations in defense of life, justice, and peace. Many lay leaders, priest, and nuns were killed, accused and persecuted. TRC: conditions of poverty and exclusion are still in place. To recognize the dignity of campesinos and urban poor as equals is the fundamental task.
17. Friday, Nov. 9, 2012. National authorities returned 7 exhumed bodies to the community of Soras, Ayacucho. The authorities asked for pardon for the long silence. On July 1984 a SL killed more than 100 campesinos in Soras on what was known as the “bus of the death.”
18. Thanks