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LiveBlog follows Alberto Fujimori's Human Rights Trial. www.fujimoriontrial.org |
Praxis Institute for Social Justice invites you to visit our bilingual liveblog and follow current developments in the ongoing human rights trial of former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori. Fujimori served from 1990-2000, and is suspected of committing innumerable human rights violations during his decade in office. These allegations have been documented by the Peruvian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in its Final Report, published in 2003, and the trial against the former president marks the fulfillment of one of the TRC's most important recommendations for preventing future human rights violations by the state. This precedent-setting trial began on Human Rights Day (December 10, 2007) soon after Fujimori's extradition from Chile, making him the first head of state to be extradited to his home country to stand trial for human rights violations. The trial holds great importance for the development of both human rights and international criminal law. The liveblog seeks to expand coverage of these proceedings and see that Fujimori receives a fair trial, while also ensuring that he is held accountable for any crimes he committed. The Fujimoriontrial.org blog is one component of our Trial Monitoring Project funded by the Foundation Open Society Institute (FOSI) and in collaboration with the International Senior Lawyers Project (ISLP). It includes frequent posts by our expert national and international observers, news summaries, links to relevant documents, and observations and analyses by experts, students and victims of human rights violations in Peru. It is intended to be a resource for journalists, students, academics, human rights victims and the general public. We invite English and Spanish speakers to join our dialogue and share their ideas and perspectives. Please share the blog with others! |
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LASA Peru Statement
on the Pisco Earthquake
The devastation and suffering caused by the massive earthquake in Peru on August 15th have not ended. In fact, they are far from over. Tens of thousands of people struggle everyday to assure food, water, and shelter. The official figures estimate 514 dead, 1,090 injured, and 39,741 homeless; the catastrophe afflicted at least 200,000 people. Some worry that even more death and destruction will be found as officials reach the more distant Andean hamlets in Huancavelica. While news stories have focused on coastal towns such as Ica and Pisco, the earthquake wreaked havoc in Andean areas as well.
Aid workers are desperately trying to get water and food to survivors and to set up basic sanitation. The threat of epidemics is real. Even those who count on the basic necessities are having difficulties making ends meet. Jobs in the informal economy—so prevalent even in the relatively developed areas south of Lima—disappeared almost as suddenly as the earthquake itself. The people of Peru need help to survive and rebuild their communities and lives.
The task of rebuilding is daunting. Houses, schools, basic infrastructure, roads, telecommunications all require massive investment. President Alan García calculates that the cost of rebuilding could reach $220 million; international aid is now nearing $10 million. At this time, however, LASA-Peru stresses the need to do all that we can to help the survivors. We urge everyone to donate to Oxfam, Doctors without Borders, or other groups that already in Peru working hard to help. The people of Peru need your support and solidarity now.
Doctors without Borders http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news/2007/08-28-2007_2.cfm
Oxfam: https://donate.oxfamamerica.org/02/peru_earthquake
Aid to date: http://www.coha.org/2007/08/31/grade-b-for-compassion-for-peru/
Pictures: http://s20133.gridserver.com/peruenemergencia/index.html
(This statement was prepared by Chuck Walker, who was in Lima at the time of the earthquake. His book on the massive 1746 earthquake/tsunami that devastated Lima and Callao will be published by Duke University Press in February 2008. He teaches history at UC Davis.)
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Mission/ Misión
The mission of the Peru Section is to increase awareness and understanding of past and present political, economic and social realities of Peru. This mission will be undertaken through an interchange of data, ideas and opinions via:
1) occasional e-mail "discussions" of specific topics; 2) the periodic publication of a Section newsletter containing announcements of upcoming conferences, brief articles by Section members, book and film reviews, information on grants, etc.; 3) Section sessions at LASA Congresses; 4) the issuance of policy statements to the U.S. and Peruvian press; and 5) the sponsoring of conferences and research activities of particular interest to Section members.
** Please Subscribe to the Peru Section Listserve**
To subscribe to the Peru Section discussion list:
https://udel.edu/mailman/listinfo/peru-section
To be a member of the Peru Section of LASA, you need to be a member of LASA. If you don't have a membership form, you can download it from the LASA home page or write to lasa+@pitt.edu. And please be sure to include the $8 dues corresponding to the Peru Section when you pay for your LASA membership.