Juan Arellano
Stories
August 27th, 2008
Americas
Luis Ramos of Vivir Lima [es] complains about the time that it is taking for the work on some Lima streets. He also republishes the results from a recent survey where “Limeños” don't believe the work will be finished in time for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November.
Americas
Daniel Salas from Gran Combo Club [es] salutes the induction of Camilo Fernádez Cozman to the Peruvian Academy of Spanish language. Camilo, besides an academist is also a blogger. His induction speech can be read at his blog La Soledad de la Página en Blanco [es].
August 22nd, 2008
Peru: Government Attempts to Halt Protests in the North
· 00:37 · AmericasThe news media has started to provide more coverage of the protests taking place in Northern Peru. The newspaper La República writes that the commission headed up by Environmental Minister Antonio Brack did not accomplish much. More and more indigenous groups are joining the cause and guarding important state petroleum and hydroelectric companies. In addition, the federal government declared a state of emergency in the area, which calls for an imposition of order. However, the protests continue.
Very few bloggers from the capital city of Lima have been commenting on the matter, and as the blogger Desde el Tercer Piso [es] writes, “For those of us who live in Lima, it is difficult to understand why such a serious social conflict is taking place in our country's jungle.” He points to the Treaty signed by Peru years ago that calls for the state to consult with indigenous groups regarding their lands. The recent legislative decrees modified these agreements, and thinks that the Constitutional Tribunal should decide the matter. He adds that in addition to the possibility of unconstitutionality, there might be environmental concerns.
The blogger Milanta [es] also posts an analysis of the Legislative decrees that are affecting the indigenous communities. Susana Villarán [es] publishes a note about the dynamics of the dialogue between the indigenous groups and the government:
Los indígenas que se oponen a los DL recientemente dictados al amparo de las facultades delegadas por el Congreso quieren que el jefe de Gobierno les de la cara. Son jefes de sus Pueblos. Quieren al Jefe del gobierno. Allá o acá en Lima. Tienen razón. Me pregunto, sin embargo, por qué no va a Santa María de Nieva, a San Lorenzo el presidente García y les explica su punto de vista acerca de los supuestos beneficios que obtendrán los Pueblos Indígenas de los Decretos Ley que promulgó con tanto júbilo? ¿Tiene tiempo para los empresarios e inversionistas pero no para los indígenas en cuyas tierras se orienta la inversión? ¿Acaso los convocó a su Palacio antes de promulgar los DL para conocer su opinión y escucharlos y convencerlos o convencerse?. La concertación no es su fuerte y menos, el escuchar a quienes siempre han sido postergados y discriminados.
The indigenous that are opposed to the Legislative Decrees want for the head of the government to show up. They are heads of their communities. They want the head of the government. There or here in Lima. They are right. I ask myself, why doesn't President García go to Santa María de Nieva and San Lorenzo to explain his point of view regarding the supposed benefits that the Indigenous Communities would receive from the Decrees that he signed with such joy? He has time for businessmen and investors, but not for the indigenous whose lands are targets of the investment? Did he call them to the Palace before signing the Legislative Decrees in order to hear their opinions and try to convince them? Compromise is not his strength, and less hearing from those who have always been marginalized and discriminated against.
The blog El Útero de Marita [es] writes that there are other characters that may be involved in this conflict:
Cuidado, por ejemplo, con la presencia del humalista Víctor Isla, uno de los mayores sospechosos de la depredación de la selva, que está merodeando a las organizaciones indígenas alzadas. De hecho va a querer jalar agua para su molino. Por suerte, en la protesta también está el hermano Paul Mc Auley, fundador de la Red Ambiental de Loreto, y antagonista jurado de Isla. Lo increíble es que la PCM, según Correo, está tramitando ¡la expulsión del país Mc Auley! Eso sería no saber cómo se manejan internamente las cosas en la Amazonía. Sería ver, una vez más, las cosas en blanco y negro.
Be careful with the presence of Humalista (follower of Ollanta Humala, ex-presidential candidate), Víctor Isla, one of the chief suspects of pillaging the jungle, and who is prowling around with some indigenous organizations [es]. Surely he wants to take advantage of the situation. Luckily, also involved in the protest is Brother Paul McAuley, founder of the Environmental Network of Loreta and sworn enemy of Isla. Incredibly, the Council of Ministers, according to Correo, is working towards the expulsion of McAuley from the country! [es] This shows that they do not know how things work internally in the Amazon. It would be seeing things, once again, only in black and white.
Finally the blog Agencia de Noticias Spacio Libre [es] posts a video of the Army training in Iquitos in hopes of “reestablishing the public order.”
0 comments · »»August 21st, 2008
Americas
The blog Choledad Privada [es] publishes the fifth post in a series that attempts to humorously unveil the pure essence of being “Peruvian”, however, not everyone agrees.
August 17th, 2008
Peru: One Year After the Pisco Earthquake
· 16:47 · AmericasAugust 15th marked the one year anniversary of the earthquake that struck southern Peru, specifically the region of Ica, Pisco and surrounding areas. It is a common opinion that the reconstruction has progressed very little. Much of the mainstream press also shares the same opinion that the government responded quickly at the beginning, but many promises were made that resulted in false expectations. [es] As a result, protests could be seen in these communities [es] calling for an account of the nearly one billion soles (Peruvian currency) that were invested in these areas. Bloggers also provide their thoughts on the reconstruction or lack of reconstruction.
For the blogger Peruanista [es] things are very clear, if the government of Alan García cannot solve this problem, then it must be changed.
El responsable directo del abandono de las víctimas del terremoto en Perú, es increíblemente, el propio gobierno peruano, el cual recibió fondos de donaciones de gobiernos de otros países, organizaciones no gubernamentales, grupos de rescate internacionales y , sobretodo de peruanos en el exterior, quienes donaron dinero y bienes a través de los consulados peruanos. Estamos hablando de cientos de millones de dólares.
No hay excusa para que un gobierno que se jacta de crear una economía en progreso, con las reservas internacionales más altas de la historia peruana, y que protege tanto a los inversionistas extranjeros y las corporaciones multinacionales, no invierta en la reconstrucción de las ciudades peruanas. Simplemente no hay excusa. El presidente Alan García, un verdadero delincuente, ha pedido a estos pobladores que “dejen de quejarse y que reconstruyan sus poblados ellos mismos sin esperar la ayuda del gobierno.” Les ha llamado malagradecidos.
The ones directly responsible for the abandonment of the victims of the Peruvian earthquake, is incredibly, the Peruvian government, who received the donations from other countries, non-governmental organizations, international rescue groups, and above all, Peruvians abroad who donated money through the Peruvian consulates. We are talking about hundreds of millions of dollars.
There is no excuse for a government that boasts about creating a progressive economy, with the highest levels of international reserves in Peruvian history, and that protects foreign investment and multinational corporations, which does not invest in the reconstruction of Peruvian cities. Simply there is no excuse. President Alan García is a true criminal and has asked for the residents to, “stop complaining and to reconstruct their communities themselves without waiting for the help of the government.” He called them ungrateful.
Susana Villarán writes about the efforts of everyday Peruvians, but how it was offset by the failure of government officials [es]:
Pocas veces nuestro país pudo constatar qué rápida fue y cómo permanece aún la respuesta ciudadana a la tragedia. Son personas particulares que fueron hasta el lugar, organizaron colectas, apadrinaron comunidades, pueblos, escuelas; empresas, ONG, movimientos de voluntarios juveniles como “Un techo para mi país” o las psicólogas y psicólogos así como artistas que trabajan atendiendo el stress pos traumático de los niños y niñas en las escuelas. No olvidemos a las y los médicos cubanos como a los bomberos españoles y también la gran movilización de nuestros compatriotas en el exterior y de los originarios de las comunidades afectadas en Lima, desde sus clubes provinciales y cofradías.
Quienes fallaron y lo siguen haciendo son las autoridades del gobierno nacional, regional y de los gobiernos locales. El protagonismo y la incapacidad de concertar están en el problema de origen que condenaba al fracaso la respuesta estatal desde el primer momento. Salvando excepciones, la ineficacia e ineficiencia, la lentitud de la reconstrucción, la negligencia, la corrupción e indiferencia, el protagonismo político y la incapacidad de dialogar y concertar han sido causantes de la pérdida de tiempo, de recursos, de oportunidades, del profundo desorden que golpea más aún a quienes tanto han perdido. Ofrecieron mucho, entregaron muy poco.
Few times in our country can we state that the citizen's response to the tragedy was fast and continuous. Individuals went to the location, organized collections, sponsored communities, towns, schools; businesses, NGOs, youth volunteer movements, such as “A Roof for My Country” or the psychologists and artists working to attend to the post-traumatic stress suffered by the schoolchildren. Let's not forget the Cuban doctors, Spanish firemen, as well as the grand mobilization of our countrymen abroad and those migrants from the affected communities in the provincial clubs and fraternities, who now living in Lima.
Those who failed continue to be the national, regional and local governments. Protaganism and the incapacity to come together was the problem from the start for the state response from the very first moment. With some exceptions, the inefficiency and ineffectiveness, the slow pace of reconstruction, negligence, corruption, indifference, political protaganism, and the incapacity to dialogue and come together were the cause of a waste of time, resources, opportunities, and profound disorder that hurts those that have lost so much. They offered a lot, and provide very little.
Menos Canas [es] writes that we must remember those Peruvians that continue to suffer the effects of the earthquake [es]:
Nuestros amigos del sur padecen la resaca de un desastre natural que podría ya haber empezado a quedar en el recuerdo si la lentitud de ciertos personajes no fuera tan vergonzosa. El Congreso de la República ha canalizado recursos para la construcción de viviendas, pero ¿ya se construyeron? No. Entre la burocracia y la ineficiencia de muchos funcionarios sigue corriendo un reloj que a cada minuto se hace más pesado y a la vez más grave respecto a lo distante que parece encontrarse nuestro propio país.
Our friends in the south who are suffering the after effects of a natural disaster could have started to forget if the slowness of certain people wasn't so embarrassing. The national Congress had channelled resources for the construction of housing, but were they constructed? No. Between the bureaucracy and the inefficiency of many public officials, the clock continues to run and each minute that passes it becomes more difficult and more serious with respect to the distance that our own country finds itself.
However, Desde el Tercer Piso [es] is hopeful in the midst of the hardships and governmental problems:
Y al mismo tiempo, la valentía que tienen los ciudadanos de las zonas afectadas para salir adelante en medio de la adversidad y la solidaridad de las personas que acuden a seguir ayudando me da la esperanza que aun no todo se encuentra perdido. Que la voz de los peruanos se puede hacer sentir. Espero el próximo año no escribir algo como esto, en medio de la decepción que me produce ver a cientos de compatriotas sin un lugar digno donde vivir. Espero que el próximo año pueda felicitar a los gobiernos locales, regionales y nacional por la tarea emprendida. Que pueda sentir que el Perú avanza de verdad y que no menospreciamos a la gente que falleció ni a quienes sobrevivieron. Como decía Vallejo, hay hermanos mucho por hacer.
At the same time, the bravery of the citizens from the affected areas to move ahead in the midst of the adversity and the solidarity of those that have joined to continue to help, gives me hope that all is not lost. May the voices of Peruvians be heard. I hope that I don't write the same thing next year, in the middle of deception when I see hundreds of countrymen and women without a dignified place to live. I hope next year that I can congratulate local, regional, and national governments for their undertaken task. May Peru feel like it is truly progressing and that we do not undervalue neither those that died, nor those that survived. As (Peruvian writer Cesar) Vallejo said, there are brothers, much to be done.
Finally Pepitas [es] poss a series of photos that shows the controversial party organized by the Government Palace [es] practically on the anniversary of the Pisco earthquake. The newspaper La República also presents a special edition about in its Sunday supplement [es].
0 comments · »»August 15th, 2008
Peru: Amazonian Indigenous Groups Protest New Governmental Decrees
· 21:26 · AmericasInternational Day of the World's Indigenous People was celebrated on August 9, but often in Peru these groups have very little to celebrate. The Aguaruna Indigenous group in Saramiriza in the Peruvian Amazon has mobilized to occupy the Petroleum Station No. 5 of the Northern Peruvian pipeline. Coordinadora Nacional de Radio [es] states that the groups are protesting that several legislative decrees are a threat to the Amazonian indigenous groups and peasant communities, which allows the government more access to their lands.
In summary, according to a communiqué from the National Agrarian Community [es], the decrees overturn previous laws that required a 2/3 vote from the community before the government can develop, purchase or lease communal lands. With the new decrees, only 50% is now required. This is causing concern for many communities as it will be easier for the government to influence some residents, and as a result other communities like Poyentimari, Monte Carmelo, Porenkishiari, Koribeni, Shimaá, Puerto Rico, Miaria, Nuevo Mundo, Kirigueti, Camisea, Shivankoreni, Segakiato, Cashiriari and Timpia are also supporting the protest.
The blog of Ideeleradio - Red Nacional [es] also notes that the indigenous groups may radicalize their protest. To date, 63 communities in 11 regions have been a part of these protests against these legislative decrees:
“Esperamos que el conflicto tenga un pronto desenlace, pues de lo contrario tendremos que radicalizar nuestra protesta. Nosotros no estamos agrediendo, estamos reclamando respeto a nuestros derechos. Queremos que nos entiendan y nos atiendan”, afirmó en tono enérgico el dirigente aguaruna. Informó que más de 700 pobladores awajún continúan en los exteriores de la estación petrolera N° 5, ubicado a unos 500 metros de la comunidad de Félix Flores en el distrito de Manseriche provincia Datem del Marañón.
“We hope that the conflict will have a rapid end, but on the contrary, we have to radicalize our protest. We are not attacking, we are calling for them to respect our rights. We want them to understand us and attend to us,” stated the Aguaruna leader in an energetic tone. He also said that more than 700 members of Awajún group would remain outside the Petroleum Station No. 5, located approximately 500 meters from the community of Félix Flores in the Manseriche District in the Datem del Marañon province.
The joining of forces across indigenous communities is nothing new. In June, the blog Por La Amazonia [es] posts about the Aguaruna and Huambisa Council's Declaration for the Unity of the Aguaruna and Huambisa communities:
El evento se realizó en la Comunidad de Urakusa, provincia de Condorcanqui, Región Amazonas y el acuerdo unánime fue dejar atrás las diferencias y luchar juntos por sus territorios, la educación bilingüe, la salud intercultural, el desarrollo humano, la producción agraria y defender su propiedad intelectual. Asimismo suscribieron un pacto para no permitir el ingreso de empresas petroleras como Perú Petro y Hoco SAC quienes pretenden acceder al lote 116 que recorta la reserva comunal Tunta Nain. El evento también se unió al clamor nacional de las comunidades campesinas y nativas de todo el país que vienen rechazando el paquete de medidas promulgadas por el Ejecutivo y que lesionan los derechos colectivos de los pueblos y comunidades indígenas.
The event took place in the community of Urakusa in the province of Condorcanqui, Amazon Region and the agreement was unanimous by leaving behind their differences and to fight together for their territory, bilingual education, intercultural health, human development, agrarian production and the defense of intellectual property. In addition, they signed an agreement that would not permit the entrance of oil companies such as Perú Petro and Hoco SAC who are attempting to gain access to the 116 lot that cuts across the Tunta Nain communal reserve. The event also united the national clamor of the peasant and native communities from the entire country that have been rejecting the package of measures promulgated by the government and hurts the collective rights of indigenous peoples and communities.
The blog La Pagina de Milanta [es] publishes the statements from a local Aguarauna leader Santiago Manuín, who said:
¿Qué daños produciría la petrolera? La deforestación es uno. Si perforan, ¿dónde van a botar los desechos? ¿Y cómo van a sacar el petróleo de ahí? Van a afectar ríos y bosque. Y el impacto social será enorme. Quieren trabajar 77 años en la zona: siete años de exploración, 30 de explotación petrolera y 40 de gas. Esa es toda una generación de habitantes.
¿Cuál es el sentir de la población? La selva no va a ser entregada aunque el Gobierno lo haya dicho y Sarasara haya firmado un convenio y nos digan perro del hortelano. Siempre las petroleras han hecho un daño muy grande a la naturaleza y al ser humano. Los indígenas no separamos al hombre de la naturaleza. Estamos incrustados uno en otro. El Gobierno está en su palacio; nosotros, en nuestra selva. Pensamos diferente. Si nosotros entregamos la selva, ¿dónde vamos a vivir? Seríamos mendigos en nuestra tierra.
What damages does the oil company cause? Deforestation is one. If they drill, where will they toss the waste? How will they remove the oil from there? They are going to affect rivers and forests. The social impact will be huge. They want to work 77 years in the area, seven years of exploration, 30 (years) of petroleum exploitation and 40 for gas. It is an entire generation of inhabitants.
What does the population think? The forest will not be handed over even if the government said so and if Sarasara had signed an agreement, and they calls us the farmer's dog. The oil companies have always caused large damages to nature and human beings. The indigenous do not separate themselves from the nature. We are linked to each other. The government is in its palace; we, in our jungle. We think differently. If we hand over the jungle, where will we live? We will be beggars in our own land.
Finally, De La Selva Su Web [es] posts on the wave of protests by the indigenous groups near the the petroleum station in the city of Iquitos, and which includes photos:
Es increíble que la mayoría de iquiteños veamos con indiferencia los problemas de estos compatriotas, cuando son justamente ellos el legado de nuestros orígenes. Es injusto dejarlos solos. Como es injusto que el gobierno y empresas extranjeras hayan envenenado sus bosques y sus ríos, como es injusto que los madereros y caucheros hayan talado sus árboles, como es injusto tirarnos el dinero destinado a su salud y educación, como es injusto desaparecer sus culturas, como es injusto continuar excluyéndolos de los servicios básicos a los que deben acceder los ciudadanos de este país.
It is incredible that the majority of Iquito residents are indifferent towards the problems of these countrymen and women, when they are the ones that are the legacy of our origens. It is unjust to leave them by themselves. It is unjust how the government and foreign companies have poisoned their forests and their rivers. It is unjust that the lumber and rubber industry have stripped their trees. It is unjust how we waste the money that is for their health and education. It is unjust to make their cultures disappear. It is unjust to continue to exclude them from basic services, which all citizens of the country should be able to access.
Thumbnail by Dubnars
1 comment · »»August 2nd, 2008
Peru: Rancas Faces Off Against Mining Company
· 22:56 · AmericasMany may have heard of the village of Rancas because Peruvian writer Manuel Scorza wrote about the place in his series of novels “The Silent War,” and perhaps in “Drums for Rancas,” his most well-known book. However, Rancas is not a fictional town and it continues in a silent war against mining companies.
Elizabeth Lino Cornejo, a well-known natural linguist from Cerro de Pasco, located 30 minutes from Rancas, follows this community's fight and noticed that her access to administer her blog Te Voy a Contar [es] (I Will Tell You) was blocked (although it was still visible to the general public) due to “infractions of the conditions of use.” She writes:
Soy Gestora Cultural comprometida con mi comunidad y desde mi espacio profesional hago las denuncias pertinentes y ejerzo mi derecho a la libre expresión. Cerreña de nacimiento y por herencia de mis abuelos y bisabuelos que caminaron por aquellas calles que ya no existen, que dejaron de existir por la minería irresponsable. Mis hijos solo podrán pararse desde lo alto de los cerros a mirar aquel agujero gris e imaginarse que allí existió una ciudad, mientras les cuente que la lluvia ácida producida por las constantes explosiones contaminó el aire que respiraban otros niños de aquel lugar.
(…)
¿A quien le causa tanta molestia que utilice el internet para contar estas cosas y alzar la voz? ¿A quién le causa tanta molestia que denuncie el abuso cometido el fin de semana contra dos mis compañeros, amigos y hermanos Carlos Gora y Jhoel Rivera en Cerro de Pasco? Más que mi compromiso es mi deber. En un país donde solo se oye las voces de interés de quienes le rinden culto al dinero y han dejado de lado los valores humanos.
I am a cultural promoter committed to my community and from my own professional space, I make the pertinent complaints and exercise my right to free expression. I was born in Cerro de Pasco and due to the inheritance from my grandparents and great-grandparents who walked through those streets that no longer exist, that do not exist because irresponsible mining. My children can only stand on top of the mountaintops and look at the grey hole and imagine the a city once existed there, while I tell them about the acid rain produced by the constant explosions that contaminated the air that the children breathe.
(…)
Who does it bother that I use the internet to tell these things and raise my voice? Who does it bother that I denounce the abuse committed aginst two of my companions, friends, and brothers, Carlos Gora and Jhoel Rivera in Cerro de Pasco last weekend? It is more than a commitment, it is my duty: In a country where you only hear the voices of those that worship money and have left human values aside.
Lino Cornejo was later able to regain administrative access to her blog.
The Mining Company Volcán (Volcano) has been operating in Peru since 1943 in the mining settlements of Ticlio and Carahuacra, in Yauli, Junín. But in 1997 and 1999, it expanded with the acquisition of the San Cristobal and Andaychagua sites, also located in the province of Yauli, Junín and with Cerro de Pasco or Paraqsha, located in the province of Yanacancha, Pasco. These sites are now the property of Centromin Perú SA.
The web site of Minera Volcán argues that it operates its mining activies in harmony with the environment through the use of environmental impact studies and following environmental regulations. However, it is public knowledge that the company has had frequent problems with the residents in the area [es] where they operate or plan to operate, and other similar problems. For example, last December, Enlace Nacional reported that the local school had to be moved due to the expansion of the Volcán Mine [es] (video). But that is not all, in May, a law was passed (and which shows the economic power of the company) to relocate the city of Cerro de Pasco [es] , so that the Volcán Mine can expand its activities in the town.
In related news, the post Uprising: Peasant Community in Rancas from the blog Koripampa [es] denounces some of the maneuvers made by the mining company in order to achieve their objectives, including a meeting that was called in order to review the environmental impact report for a future project:
..sin embargo, y a espaldas de los pobladores de la comunidad, en ese taller se trato de aprobar de manera irregular la expansión minera de Volcán en los territorios comunales de Rancas. En dicho evento la población de la comunidad fue impedida de participar bajo el argumento que ya no había más espacio en el auditorio, mientras todos los asistentes al supuesto taller eran trabajadores y familiares de los trabajadores de la empresa Volcán.
..however, behind the backs of the residents of the community, the meeting attempted to approve the Volcán mining expansion in the communal territories of Rancas in an irregular manner. In said event, the populace of the community was impeded from participating under the argument that there was no more space in the auditorium, meanwhile all of the attendees of the workshop were workers and relatives of the workers from the Volcán company.
These conflicts do not end, as mining continues to be one of the major economic activities in the country and the high demand of metals is not an opportunity that should go to waste. There must be ways to find a compromise between these interests and those of the residents of the area where these deposits are found. In the field of mining, there are many skilled people from the Volcán Mine that are involved with interesting projects such as Mining Apprentices [es] , and perhaps both sides can agree to come together so that we avoid a situation where we all lose.
0 comments · »»July 17th, 2008
Americas
Ramiro Celis of Iquitos News [es] reports about the killing of an Otorongo (Jaguar) that was held at the Quistococha Park Zoo in the city of Iquitos, Perú. Although the administration of the park said the animal had to be killed because it showed aggresion while being moved from one cage to another, it is not clear if the proper security measures were taken.
July 15th, 2008
Americas
Gian Carlo Orbezo of Peru Politico [es] writes about Augusto B. Leguia, president of Peru from 1919 to 1930 and his sad end as a dictator, and the relationship to Alberto Fujimori who is now facing trials of his own.
July 13th, 2008
Peru: Success of National Strike in Doubt
· 15:07 · AmericasA national strike [es] took place on July 9 throughout Peru, which was organized by the General Confederation of Workers of Peru (CGTP for its initials in Spanish) and had rallied against Peruvian president Alan Garcia's economic policies. According to the El Comercio newspaper, “it was massive and took place in various central and northern provinces registering no major acts of violence [es] .” The same newspaper also collects the opinion of another syndicate movement, Peruvian Workers Confederation (CTP) that says, “The national strike complied by the CGTP was a failure by its general secretary, Mario Huamán [es] .” The differing versions regarding the success of the CGTP's measure of force are divided and can also be better seen in the blogs.
The blogger Mancho from País de Eme [es] declares in his post The Strike Has Arrived [es] that he thought the strike would be grand and the lack of convocation could be due to the discredit that syndicate institutions like the CGTP has:
como es costumbre, el Gobierno saldra a declarar que el Paro fracaso y que el unico ganador es el Perú mientras que por el otro lado la CGTP saldra a decir que todas las regiones paralizaron. Cuando ninguna de las dos es lo real. Ante este Paro, no existe ganador alguno ya que las políticas del Gobierno no cambiaran, la dirigencia del CGTP no cambiara, los pobres segurian siendo pobres y el medio ambiente se ira destruyendo poco a poco ante las políticas aplicadas por este Gobierno. Solo queda por buscar nuevas formas de hacer reaccionar al Gobierno, ya que tras los ultimos paros queda demostrado su inutilidad como objeto de protesta. Tal vez, solo sea que cada vez estamos eligiendo un gobernante mas sordo a la voz del pueblo.
As is customary, the government will say that the strike was a failure and that the only winner is Peru, while the CGTP will declare that all of the regions participated in the strike. When neither of the two is true. With this strike, there is no winner and the government's policies will not change, the management of the CGTP will not change, the poor will remain poor and the environment will continue be destroyed little by little through the policies applied by this government. All that remains is to look for new ways to make the government react, as the last few strikes demonstrated that their use as a protest measure is useless. Maybe, all it is that we continue to elect a governing leader more and more deaf to the people's voice.
Susana Villarán in her post What Should Change [es] makes two points that seem to be important for the motivation for those that called for the strike: The need for a better economic redistribution and the need to reach an agreement. She finishes by proposing the challenge of what is left to be done:
El nuevo liderazgo político y social que surge en las regiones, la Asamblea de Gobiernos Regionales, los partidos emergentes, el movimiento social y político que surgió de la transición democrática deben recuperar el terreno perdido, articular esfuerzos, fortalecer presencia y voz para lograr el cambio, la justicia, la concertación y la gobernabilidad.
The new political and social leadership that emerges in the regions, the Regional Assembly governments, the emerging parties, the political and social movement that emerged during the democratic transition must recuperate their lost terrain, articulate efforts, strengthen its presence and voice to achieve change, justice, compromise, and governability.
Silvio Rendón in the post Syndicalists [es] from the blog Gran Combo Club [es] writes about Vladimiro Montesinos' comments regarding the strike. As the former right hand of ex-president Alberto Fujimori and who is currently in prision, Montesinos mentions that the syndicates did not strike during their administration. These statements had a positive reaction in the APRA, the current governing party of president Alan García.
La alusión montesinista es parte del discurso “con otros no se quejaban como sí se quejan conmigo”. Este fue un discurso usado y desgastado por Toledo. A Toledo no le funcionó en absoluto. Efectivamente, la prensa fue muy severa con Toledo, cuando no lo fue con Fujimori. Igualmente, Toledo tuvo que enfrentar protestas regionales y sindicales que no tuvo Fujimori. García al usar este argumento demuestra desesperación y frustración por no convencer a la población, a pesar de tener a la prensa de su parte. Claro, no se mete con la población en general, sino con los dirigentes sindicales.
The Montesinos allusion is part of the rhetoric, “with others they do not complain like they complain with me.” This was the rhetoric used and overused by (ex-president Alejando) Toledo. It did not work for Toledo at all. The press was very tough with Toledo, as it was not with Fujimori. In the same way, Toledo had to face regional and syndical protest that Fujimori did not. García, upon using the same argument, demonstrates desperation and frustration for not being able to convince the populace, even though he has the press on his side. Of course, he does not get involve with the general populace, only the syndicate leadership.
It appears that the strike will soon be followed by other more specific sectors such as agriculture, mining and others, and so the government will have their hands full during the next few weeks. Before I end, I would like invite you to read the post titled, The Post-Strike Post [es] from Generación (A)política [es] that lists various illustrative opinions about what happened and the reactions from various characters in Peruvian politics. The post The Interior is Definitely Another Country [es] by Susana Villarán provides reports about the strike from those on the left.
Thumbnail photo by Gato Azul
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About Juan Arellano
I'm a peruvian blogger, and responsable of Blogsperu.com the website of peruvian bloggers. My personal weblog is Globalizado. Other GV sites
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