Garcia Declares 95 Police Arrested for Summary Executions at Lurigancho Prison Peru 1986
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'. ' ' . ' . ~', '. , \ . , ~ '.' ," I,", ,., • Current Clas57:;gOHF_Dflf3'i..t;;L Current Handling: n/a Document Number: 1986LlMA07400 - , .,:.,. , . .' i i 'e iii i , RELE~INFULL #tL PAGE 01 ACTION ARA-OO LIMA 07400 252157Z COPY-01 ADS-OO AID-OO INR-10 SS-OO L-03 NSCE-OO NSAE-OO SSO-OO HA-09 SNP-Ol OMB-01 INM-07 INRE-OO SP-02 SCT-02 /050 W DSE-OO -------...;;·~-~~,;;;------265216 252238Z /61 ·0 252l42Z JUN 86 FM AMEMBASSY LIMA TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2-'r26 INFO AMEMBASSY BOGOTA AMEMBASS¥ LA PAZ AMEMBASSY QUITO AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO USAFSO HOWARD AFB PM USCINCSO QUARRY HTS PM DEAHQS WASHDC USIA WASHOC 5854 DIA WASHDC INFO LOG-OO H-01 PA-01 DS-01 C::OpU F:::E 15 Eo!ll' I CIAE- . PM-10 PRS-01 4-=»L LIMA 07400 DIA FOR IR BRANCH E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR TAGS: PHUM, PTER, PGOV, PINS, PREL, PE SUBJECT: GARCIA DECLARES 95 POLICE ARRESTED FOR SUMMARY EXECUTIONS AT LURIGANCHO PRISON 1. (U) PRESIDENT GARCIA ADDRESSED THE NATION JUNE 24 TO REPORT THAT THE INITIAL RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION OF LAST WEEK'S PRISON RIOTS REVEALED THAT POLICE (GUARDIA REPUBLICANA) HAD SUMMARILY EXECUTED AN ESTIMATED 30 TO 40 PRISONERS WHO HAD SURRENDERED AT LURIGANCHO PRISON. HE DECLARED THAT 15 POLICE OFFICERS AND 80 POLICEMEN INVOLVED IN THE KILLINGS WERE IN CUSTODY AND WOULD BE TRIED. II WITHOUT CONFIDENTIAL r-COf'11i4i 'E iSJj4:fAL PAGE 02 LIMA 07400 252157Z AUTHORITY, II HE SAID, M THERE IS NO DEMOCRACY. M GARCIA EMPHASIZED THAT AS PRESIDENT HE COULD NOT Current Class :_'OGW£tI!Z~ Page: 1 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE REVIEW AUTHORITY: SAM A. MOSKOWITZ DATE/CASE In: 9 AUG 1999 199902275 UNCLASSIFIED r Page: 1 ««.»» c-== CaEh .•',. · :. '.. .. .... , ":" .. ... ~ . ~,..' ., . .. .... .' Current C~ass: CONFIDENTIAL Current Handling: n/a Document Number: 1986LlMA07400 . ... . .. ... Page: 2 Channel: n/a PERMIT "EXCESSES t " "CRIMINAL VENGEANCE" OR liTHE LAW OF THE JUNGLE." HE DECLARED "WHAT OCCURRED AFTER THE SURRENDER IN LURIGANCHO IS NOTHING MORE THAN A CRIME t WHICH I WILL NOT COVER UP." GARCIA SOUGHT TO CONTRAST EVENTS AT LURIGANCHO WITH THE RETAKING OF EL FRONTON PRISON t WHERE HE POINTED TO THE FACT THAT 35 PRISONERS WHO SURRENDERED HAD HAD ,THEIR LIVES RESPECTED. AT SAME TIMEt HE REITERATED THAT GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE TERRORIST PRISONERS AND THE CAREFUL PREPARATION FOR THE RIOTS t "SEVERITY" IN SUPPORT OF THE LAW WAS NEEDED, AND--THAT· HE WOULD NOT HESITATE TO USE IT AGAIN UNDER THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES. GARCIA ALSO UNDERSCORED THAT THE ARMED FORCES JOINT COMMAND HAD CARRIED OUT ITS ACTIONS'-ONDER ORDERS FROM THE GOVERNMENT t THAT THE ARMED FORCES HAD OBEYED LOYALLY t AND THAT THE GOP SUPPORTED THEIR ACTIONS. 2. (U) IN ADDITION t THE PERUVIAN EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE IS ASSUMING A HIGHER PROFILE ON THE PRISON EVENTS. IN A JUNE 24 LETTER·TO THE ARMED FORCES JOINT COMMAND, ASSISTANT LIMA BISHOP AUGUSTO BEUZEVILLE REQUESTED PERMISSION FOR A CATHOLIC CHURCH COMMISSION TO ENTER THE THREE PRISONS (STILL UNDER MILITARY CONTROL) ,IN ORDER TO GIVE SPIRTUAL AND MATERIAL ASSISTANCE TO SURVIVORS AND THE WOUNDED. ANOTHER ARCHBISHOP COMPLAINED PUBLICLY THAT PRISON CHAPLAINS HAD BEEN DENIED ACCESS TO PRISONS. THE EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE ALSO ISSUED A COMMUNIQUE JUNE 24 IN WHICH IT REITERATED ITS CONDEMNATION OF VIOLENCE, CALLED FOR AN "OBJECTIVE INVESTIGATION" OF THE UPRISING t AND CALLED UPON SECURITY FORCES TO RESPOND CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 LIMA 07400 252157Z TO TERRORISM WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE LAW AND RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. 3. (C) COMMENT: GARCIA'S SPEECH RECALLS, ON THE SURFACE, HIS RAPID REACTION IN SEPTEMBER 1985 TO THE ACCOMARCA AND PUCAYACU MASSACRES, IN WHICH THREE GENERALS WERE REMOVED FROM THEIR POSITIONS. THIS TIME WE BELIEVE THINGS WILL NOT BE SO EASY t AND IT MAY BE DIFFICULT FOR GARCIA TO CONTROL THE PROCESS HE HAS SET IN MOTION. PERSONS ALLEGEDLY GUILTY OF KILLING PRISONERS CONVENIENTLY ARE MEMBERS OF THE POLICE (UNDER CONTROL OF INTERIOR MINISTRY) NOT THE ARMED I Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL ~\ \ . Page: 2 UNCLASSIFIED- ~ " . • -Current CJ.ass: CONFIDENTIAL Current Handling: n/a Document Number: 1986LlMA07400 - Page: j Channel: n/a FORCES. IT IS NOT CLEAR, HOWEVER, HOW ACCUSED POLICEMEN COULD HAVE CARRIED OUT KILLINGS IN WHAT WAS AN ARMY-DIRECTED OPERATION WITHOUT SHARING BLAME WITH THE ARMY. ALSO, THERE ARE ALLEGATIONS THAT THE NAVY MAY HAVE CARRIED OUT SIMILAR DEEDS, THAT ALL OF THE DEAD HAVE BEEN BURIED, SOME REPORTEDLY IN MASS GRAVES, WILL PROBABLY IMPEDE AN INVESTIGATION AND ANY TRIAL OF THE POLICE. NOTHWITHSTANDING STRONG POPULAR SUPPORT FOR USE OF FORCE EVIDENT IN OPINION POLLS, GARCIA NOW WILL HAVE HIS HANDS FULL TRYING T{}=A~ID IMAGE THAT HE IS ENGAGING IN TRANSPARENT SCAPEGOATING OF POLICE TO AVOID CONFRONTATION WITH MILITARY AND TO ATTEMPT TO SALVAGE HIS OWN POSITION:---JORDAN CONFIDENTIAL NNNN Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL Page: 3 UNCLASSIFIED