MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peruvian Amazon indigenous call for dialogue; Army patrols area

Over 60 killed and dozens missing, the toll of two-days of fighting

Peruvian Amazon indigenous groups that fought government security forces with spears, rocks and home made guns during two days with a toll of over sixty killed and dozens missing said they are prepared to dialogue about the controversial laws which opened the region to logging, oil and minerals exploration and triggered the rebellion.

“We are betting on dialogue, we prefer to sit and talk” said Ruben Binari from the Machiguenga Council, one of the several indigenous groups that make up the Aidesep organization, Inter-ethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Jungle.

He added “we want no more vandalisms, no more blood must be shed. We will lift blockades on routes and pipelines”.

Meantime Army troops and security forces on Sunday were patrolling the Amazon region towns searching for two missing policemen. Troops controlled the town of Bagua Grande, 1,400 km north of the capital Lima, after an overnight curfew was enforced to defuse the worst violence faced by President Alan Garcia's government.

An indigenous leader said 40 protesters were killed and the government said 23 members of the security forces perished in two days of battles. Dozens of police were held hostage by protesters, but most were freed hours later. On Sunday, two were still missing.

Hundreds of natives who sought refuge at a Catholic mission in Bagua Grande drew up a list of dozens of missing people and sought guarantees to search for bodies of the slain.

“We have been told that many of our dead brothers have been thrown into the Marañon River to cover up the killing” said Carlos Anchanchi, one of the group's leaders.

”We want to sign peace for Amazonia”, said Binari, “we will have to keep battling but through other means”.

Binari said he ignored what happened with Alberto Pizango, Aidesep president who is on the run following an arrest warrant from a Judge on sedition charges. Peruvian Interior minister Mercedes Cabanillas said intelligence reports indicated Pizango had fled to neighbouring Bolivia.

Under Pizango Aidesep organized since early April the blockades of routes and oil and gas pipelines which left northern Peru short of energy to protest the Garcia administration legislation to open the Amazon to foreign investment.

Aidesep argues they were never consulted about the legislation which involves land that is their ancestral home. The Peruvian Catholic Church has sided with the indigenous population position.

President Garcia has accused protesters of acting like terrorists and said the unrest had been fomented from abroad. Garcia, who is a fierce critic of Latinamerica's leftist leaders, did not specify who he meant.

But in the past, members of the Peruvian government have accused the governments of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Bolivian leader Evo Morales of links to Garcia's ultranationalist rival, Ollanta Humala.

“There is a conspiracy aimed at stopping us from using our natural resources for the good, growth and quality of life of our people” Garcia said on Sunday, blaming foreign interests that would benefit if Peru did not tap its gas and oil.

But analysts say Garcia -- whose approval rating is just 30% -- will likely have to fire senior cabinet members, including the prime minister, and roll back investment laws to end the stand-off.