VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHPE #1765 3121504
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 071504Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY LIMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9561
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION PRIORITY 2071
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA PRIORITY 6130
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 7982
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES PRIORITY 3534
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1274
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ NOV 5038
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO PRIORITY 9624
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 2170
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO PRIORITY 2058
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUMIAAA/USCINCSO MIAMI FL PRIORITY
UNCLAS LIMA 001765
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR PE ASEC
SUBJECT: GOP DECLARES EMERGENCY TO QUELL VIOLENT PROTESTS
IN SOUTH
REF: LIMA 1731
1. (SBU) Summary: The GOP on November 4th declared a state of
emergency in the southern city of Tacna and directed the
military to maintain order after violent protestors attacked
and burned several government buildings. The protests
erupted on October 30th after Congress passed a bill that
would redistribute some mining royalty payments from Tacna to
neighboring region Moquegua. The state of emergency and an
increase in police have restored calm to Tacna for now.
Tacna is located far from Lima and events there are unlikely
to have any impact on the APEC Summit. End Summary.
2. (U) The GOP on November 4th declared a state of emergency
in the southern city of Tacna and directed the military to
maintain order after violent protestors attacked and burned
government buildings. The state of emergency, which will
last 30 days, allows the government to arrest protestors
without a judicial order and to search private homes, and
restricts the rights of free transit and assembly.
Currently, about 1,850 military and police are patrolling the
city, according to Prime Minister Yehude Simon.
3. (SBU) The violent protests in Tacna erupted on October
30th after Congress passed a bill that would redistribute
some mining royalty payments from Tacna to neighboring region
Moquegua. That day, some two thousand protestors overwhelmed
police and burned down two government buildings. (Reftel) On
November 4th, after a brief truce, a smaller group of more
radical protestors attacked two police stations and a
municipal building. A local contact told Poloff the
protestors numbered no more than 400, including about 100 he
described as nothing more than drug addicts and vandals
(although the press reported 4,000 protestors). The clashes
left two dead and 48 wounded civilians, as well as 29 injured
police.
4. (U) The state of emergency and increase in police have
restored calm to Tacna for now. On November 5th, local radio
stations reportedly called for people to protest peacefully
by marching and banging pots. Businesses remained closed
throughout the 5th, but press reports that some banks and
stores slowly began to reopen on the 6th.
Comment: Protests Far From Lima
-------------------------------
5. (SBU) Tacna is far Lima -- over 650 miles -- on Peru's
southern border with Chile. Protests in Tacna generally do
not affect Lima and are unlikely to have any impact on the
upcoming APEC Summit.
MCKINLEY