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Peru hostage crisis at impasse on Christmas Eve
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December 24, 1996
Web posted at: 8:45 a.m. EST (1345 GMT)LIMA, Peru (CNN) -- Freed hostages were calling for a negotiated end to the week-long siege at the Japanese ambassador's house, but there was no sign Tuesday that Peru's government or the rebels who still hold 140 hostages were willing to give any ground.
The group remaining inside the walled residence -- including Japanese businessmen, top Peruvian officials and two brothers of Peru's president -- were in their seventh day of confinement with no end in sight.
Neither side made any public statements Monday, the day after 225 hostages were released.
Electricity, water and telephone services to the building remained cut off Tuesday, on government orders. However, electricity was restored for 45 minutes on Monday so water for drinking and flushing toilets could be pumped to a tank on the roof.
No negotiators since Sunday
Red Cross officials, who are mediating the crisis, said no negotiator had been inside the house since Sunday.
The aid agency said it planned to send in "something special" -- perhaps a Christmas dinner -- on Tuesday for Christmas Eve. Latin Americans traditionally celebrate Christmas with a family meal on the night of December 24.
Overnight, a small group of Peruvians maintained a candlelit vigil close to the residence, seized December 17 by leftist rebels of the Tupac Amaru movement.
Their demand for the release of 300 jailed colleagues has been rejected by Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori.
The head of Peru's anti-terrorist forces is among those being held captive by a group he thought he had brought to its knees.
"The intelligence forces were busy prosecuting opposition leaders instead of worrying about (the rebels)," Peruvian political analyst Pedro Planas told CNN.
In related developments Tuesday:
- Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto said in Tokyo that he fears the rebels are settling in for a long war of nerves. However, he added that Japan still opposed sending in troops to rescue the hostages.
- Japan will hire more security guards to protect its diplomatic offices overseas from terrorist attack, Foreign Minister Yukihiko Ikeda said in Tokyo.
- Japan's Foreign Ministry said the Red Cross had set up a clinic in the Japanese ambassador's residence to give medical care to the hostages.
- Ethnic Japanese Peruvians have become the target of attacks from Japanese apparently angered by the hostage crisis. Shops and cars owned by Peruvians in the immigrant community of Isezak, Japan, have been stoned in an outbreak of Peru-bashing, police and residents said.
Correspondent Lucia Newman in Lima and Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- Stalemate develops in Peru hostage crisis - December 23, 1996
- Peru rebels dig in with remaining 140 hostages - December 23, 1996
- Rebels free more hostages in 'Christmas gesture' - December 23, 1996
- Peru hostage crisis: Deep differences between government and rebels - December 23, 1996
- Peruvians march in support of hostages - December 22, 1996
- Fujimori breaks silence and urges release of hostages - December 21, 1996
- Peru rejects use of force to end crisis - December 21, 1996
- 38 hostages released in Peru - December 20, 1996
- Peru officially silent on hostage crisis - December 20, 1996
- Report: Peru rejects rebels' demands to free prisoners - December 19, 1996
- Four hostages released in Peruvian standoff - December 19, 1996
- Red Cross official named hostage negotiator in Peru - December 19, 1996
- Japan's foreign minister goes to Peru for hostage talks - December 19, 1996
- Tupac Amaru -- Peru's smaller guerrilla group - December 18, 1996
Related sites:
Note: Pages will open in a new browser window
- Overview of Latin American Terrorism - Peru
- Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA)
- Latinworld.com - Peru
- Peru Info Internet
- International Committee of the Red Cross
External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
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