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Peru turns up heat on rebels
Precaution or provocation?
Latest developments:
January 23, 1997
- Fujimori won't discuss demand to release prisoners
- Rebels remain defiant
- Armored personnel carriers brought in
- Possible escape route blocked
- Red Cross pulls out
- Related stories and sites
Web posted at: 12:58 p.m. EST (1758 GMT)LIMA, Peru (CNN) -- Rebels holding 73 people at the Japanese ambassador's residence reacted defiantly Thursday, a day after Peru took a harder line, increasing security and refusing to negotiate on the rebels' key demand.
At dawn Thursday -- the 38th day of the crisis -- rebels used a two-way radio to broadcast their daily morning ritual of chants and obscenity-filled messages aimed at the government of President Alberto Fujimori.
Fujimori, who once said granting freedom for hundreds of jailed Tupac Amaru rebels could at least be discussed, said Wednesday that there won't even be talks until the guerrillas abandon the idea.
Armored personnel carriers
The president's harder stance came only hours after police increased security outside the compound following machine gun fire from inside the compound early Wednesday. The gunfire apparently was a warning for police to stay back from the residence.
No one was injured, but a police helicopter later repeatedly flew over the area and special commandos arrived in two armored personnel carriers with mounted machine guns.
The commandos have been seen around the compound in the past, but they made an obvious show of force Wednesday deploying in the area.
Possible escape route blocked
On Wednesday night, an open archway at one corner of the compound was barricaded in an apparent attempt to keep it from being used as an escape route.
As police armed with automatic rifles crouched in position to provide cover, workers using wooden planks boarded up the archway entrance.
Red Cross pulls out
It was not clear if the government's new activity was meant to send a message to the rebels, but Red Cross spokesman Steven Anderson said his agency was ending its round-the- clock presence inside the compound, for safety reasons. But the Red Cross said it would continue its normal daily deliveries of food and water.
Police have become bolder since ordering journalists to leave the roof of a home across the street from the compound on Saturday night.
Earlier this week, police commandos brazenly marched near the compound's 10-foot wall, and officers threw trash and stones over the wall in an apparent effort to harass the rebels.
Correspondent Susan Candiotti contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- Rebels refuse to budge in Peru - January 18, 1997
- A hostage is freed in Peru as government invites talks - January 17, 1997
- Peruvian rebels release one more hostage - January 17, 1997
- Peruvian rebels agree to peace negotiations - January 15, 1997
- Gunshots heard at ambassador's house in Peru - January 13, 1997
- Peruvian hostage talks fail to materialize - January 12, 1997
- Peru restores contact with hostage-takers - January 10, 1997
- Fujimori looks for peaceful options to end hostage-taking - January 8, 1997
Related sites:
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- Human Rights Reference Site
- The MRTA Solidarity Page by Arm the Spirit
- Voz Rebelde Internacional -- the official page of the MRTA in Europe (in Spanish)
- Internet Network of Peru
- Peru Home Page (in Spanish)
- Hemisferio Sur (in Spanish) - links to "Caretas" magazine, and "La Republica" and "Expreso" newspapers
- Peru Info Internet
- International Committee of the Red Cross
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