A-Infos (en) Interview With Isaac Velazco (MRTA)

[Arm The Spirit <ats@locust.etext.org>]

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"Why Are German Authorities Investigating You?"

Interview With Isaac Velazco, European Spokesperson For The Tupac
Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA)

Question: On Tuesday [May 5], you and your wife had some
uninvited visitors. For nine hours, federal authorities from the
BAW, the BKA, and the Hamburg police searched your home and
office, copied the hard drive of your computer, and confiscated
items. What is the background and aim of this?

     Velazco: At the present time in Peru, it is not possible to
articulate as a legal political opposition to the dictatorship of
President Alberto Fujimori. The MRTA has been saying for a long
time now that the fundamental problem in Peru is the
implementation of the neo-liberal model, which requires
enforcement by a terroristic state. Therefore, the dictatorship
must be resisted at its neo-liberal roots. In contrast to this
position, some business people argue that Peru's problem is that
the country is run by a dictator and that there are no democratic
rules. So although they propose to do away with the dictatorship,
they wish to maintain the neo-liberal model. But these sectors
have no charismatic leading figures. The MRTA, on the other hand,
continues to gain support from the population, including the
intellectuals.
     Various analysts share our opinion, that the real problem in
the country is the neo-liberal model. Of course, that disturbs
the USA, which has pushed through this model and the necessary
accompanying repression. That's why Washington is simply seeking
to change the figure at the top. A campaign in Peru being
orchestrated by the U.S. ambassador, which touches on themes such
as democratization and human rights, is an attempt by the USA to
gain popular support for a change in government. That's why they
wish to silence the real opposition, such as the MRTA.
     Furthermore, we have filed complaints against the Fujimori
government on account of their extra-judicial executions, the
killing of the 14 members of the Commando "Edgar Sanchez" on
April 22, 1997 who had occupied the Japanese ambassador's
residence. Also, I have been seeking to inform people about the
hungerstrike by political prisoners, which the Peruvian media
have been silent about due to pressure from the government. Also,
death squads in Peru have threatened members of human rights
organizations. All of this had created a panic-like situation in
Peru.

How do you explain the actions by the German authorities?

     These investigations of alleged participation in a
kidnapping are politically, not judicially, motivated. They are
trying to put pressure on our publicity work. The Swiss
government has been doing the same thing, by denying me
permission to enter the country, because I wished to file a claim
against Fujimori with the UN Commission on Human Rights because
of the extra-judicial executions.

Since April 22, more than 200 MRTA prisoners in Peru have been on
hungerstrike. What do they wish to achieve with this action?

     Many political prisoners have been held in destructive
prison conditions for more than six years now. Since 1992, they
have been kept in 3x2 meter small cells. The Peruvian press have
rightly described these as "living tombs". They are held there
completely cut off from the outside world all year round, they
don't even have contact with the prison guards. They are allowed
just one hour per day outside their cells, in the yard. Food is
very poor, and they receive no medical attention; until recently,
they could only receive one visit per month. Although they are
now allowed one visit each week, the fact that they are being
relocated to places far away from their families makes this
change meaningless.
     The prisoners are demanding decent and human treatment from
the government, decent nourishment, medical attention, and new,
public trials with neutral judges and a right to mount a defense.
     I brought these demands to the attention of the UN
Commission on Human Rights in Geneva. The Commission allowed the
introduction of a resolution calling for President Fujimori to
release Victor Polay Campos, General Secretary and commander of
the MRTA, who has been held in the El Callao navy base since
1992. Polay was tortured after he was captured and swiftly
sentenced by a military court. Because of his prison conditions,
the UN Commission on Human Rights has called on Fujimori to
release Polay and give him a new trial under adequate judicial
norms and with the right to a defense. I believe this resolution
should apply to all the political prisoners, since they all
suffer from inhumane conditions.
     On May 5, 1998, I myself began a hungerstrike in solidarity
with the prisoners and to protest the raids by the German police.

(Interview by Juan Gehring; Translated by Arm The Spirit from
'junge Welt' - May 9, 1998)

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Con las Masas y las Armas, Patria o Muerte ... VENCEREMOS!
MRTA Solidarity Page - http://burn.ucsd.edu/~ats/mrta.htm

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Arm The Spirit is an autonomist/anti-imperialist information
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variety of material, including political prisoners, national 
liberation struggles, armed communist resistance, anti-fascism, 
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called ATS-L. For more information, contact:

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