Peru: Indigenous leaders killed, community at risk
Four Ashánika Indigenous leaders from the Peruvian Amazon have been killed by suspected illegal loggers. It is likely that the attack was in retaliation to the leaders’ activism against illegal logging on their ancestral lands. Their families and fellow community members are at risk.
UA: 228/14 Index: AMR 46/007/2014 Peru Date: 11 September 2014
URGENT ACTION
INDIGENOUS LEADERS KILLED, COMMUNITY AT RISK
Four Asháninka Indigenous leaders from the Peruvian Amazon have been killed by
suspected illegal loggers. It is likely that the attack was in retaliation to the leaders’
activism against illegal logging on their ancestral lands. Their families and fellow
community members are at risk.
On 1 September Indigenous leaders Edwin Chota Valera, Jorge Ríos Pérez, Leoncio Quinticima Meléndez and
Francisco Pinedo were killed while traveling from the Ucayali region of the Peruvian Amazon rainforest to a
meeting across the Brazilian border to discuss combating illegal logging in their community. They were all leaders
of the Asháninka Indigenous community of Alto Tamaya-Saweto in the Ucayali region, close to the border with
Brazil. The four leaders were killed by suspected illegal loggers.
Edwin Chota Valera was a renowned leader within the Asháninka community who fought for the titles to their
ancestral territories. According to the Ucayali Regional Aidesep Organization (Organización Regional Aidesep
Ucayali, ORAU) to which he belonged, on 3 June 2014 Edwin Chota Valera led a delegation from his community to
Lima, the capital, and presented a letter to the President of the Council of Ministers (Presidencia de Consejo de
Ministros). The letter outlined the challenges the Asháninka community of Alto Tamaya-Saweto face by not holding
titles to their ancestral territories, including recounting several instances where they have been the target of death
threats by illegal loggers. The letter also demanded that the authorities provide adequate protection to them.
The Vice-Minister for Intercultural Affairs is currently in Pucallpa, a city in the Ucayali region, to coordinate the
state’s response to the killings. Police are also being sent to recover the bodies and begin an investigation into the
killings. The community members are asking for immediate protection and a long-term solution to the situation of
insecurity they have endured.
Please write immediately in Spanish or your own language:
Calling on the authorities to carry out an independent, thorough and impartial investigation into the killing of
Edwin Chota Valera, Jorge Ríos Pérez, Leoncio Quinticima Meléndez and Francisco Pinedo, make the results
public and ensure those responsible are brought to justice;
Urging them to ensure that full protection is provided to the members of the Alto Tamaya-Saweto
community, as well as other communities at risk of attack by illegal loggers in the Ucayali region, in accordance
with their wishes.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 23 OCTOBER 2014 TO:
Attorney General
Dr. Carlos Américo Ramos Heredia
Fiscalía de la Nación
Ministerio Público
Av. Abancay cdra 5 s/n, Lima
Perú
Fax: +511 4271792
Email: ministeriopublico@mpfn.gob.pe
Salutation: Dear Attorney General /
Estimado Sr. Fiscal de la Nación
Minister of the Interior
Gral. EP (r) Daniel Belizario Urresti Elera
Ministerio del Interior
Plaza 30 de Agosto s/n Urb. Corpac
San Isidro, Lima
Perú
Email: dm@mininter.gob.pe
sg@mininter.gob.pe
Salutation: Dear Minister / Estimado
Ministro
Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please insert local diplomatic addresses below:
Name Address 1 Address 2 Address 3 Fax Fax number Email Email address Salutation Salutation
Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date.
URGENT ACTION
INDIGENOUS LEADERS KILLED, COMMUNITY AT RISK
Name: Edwin Chota Valera, Jorge Ríos Pérez, Leoncio Quinticima Meléndez and Francisco Pinedo
Gender m/f: m
UA: 228/14 Index: AMR 46/007/2014 Issue Date: 11 September 2014