Communique #1
Movimiento Revolucionario Túpac Amaru
Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA)
Lima, 17th December, 1996
The National Direction of the Revolutionary Movement Tupac
Amaru addresses our beloved Peruvian peoples and declare that
today, Tueday, the 17th of December, at 8.25 p.m., the special
force unit "EDGAR SANCHEZ" of our organization has miltitarily
occupied the residence of the ambassador of Japan and has taken
prisoner several political and business personalities and members
of the diplomatic corps acredited in Peru.
We have given this operatiuon the name of "OSCAR TORRE
CONDESU" with the slogan: "BREAKING THE SILENCE - THE PEOPLES
WANT THEM FREE". This operation is under the command of
MRTA commander HEMIGIDO HUERTA LOAYZA.
We declare that from the moment of the military occupation
of the residence of the ambassador of Japan in Peru, every
measure has been taken to provide for the physical and moral
integrity of the persons captured there. We have realized this
military ocupation in protest against the interference of the
Japanese government in the political life in our country, in
every moment supporting the methods of violation of human rights
applied by the government of Mr. Fujimori, as well as its
economic policy which has brought nothing but increased misery
and hunger to the majority of the people of Peru.
We also communicate to our peoples that we have been forced
to take to this extreme measure in order to save the life of
dozens of members and leaders of our organization, who suffer
imprisonment under subhuman conditions and under a prison system
which aims for their physical and mental annihilation. They are
imprisoned in true "grave prisons", as Mr. Alberto Fujimori has
repeatedly confirmed with the words "there they will rot and will
only get out dead", which shows an irrational rage against social
fighters who have risen in arms to fight for the well-being of
our peoples.
In this sense, we state with the same emphasis with which we
declare that we are respecting the physical integrity of the
captured persons, that we will only free them if the government
complies with the following demands:
1. That the government commits itself to change its economic
course in favour of a model which aims for the well-being of the
great majorities.
2. That all prisoners belonging to the MRTA and every prisoner
accused of belonging to our organization be set free.
3. Transfer of the commando that entered the residence of the
Japanese ambassador together with all the c. prisoners from the
MRTA to the central jungle. As a guarantee, some of the captured
persons, who will be selected correspondingly, will also come
along. They will be set free when we have reached our guerilla
zone.
4. Payment of a war-tax.
The MRTA has always been an organization disposed to answer
proposals for dialogue, but it has only found repulsion and scorn
from the government. Today we are in confrontation, and it must
be clear that any military option which puts the life of the
captured persons in danger will be the absolute responsibility of
the government, as well as any other action which we might have
to take if the government does not respond to our demands.
WITH THE MASSES AND THE ARMS, PATRIA O MUERTE...VENCEREMOS!
National Direction of the MRTA
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