The Peruvian Congress has suspended two controversial decrees, known as the Law of the Jungle, in the wake of fierce clashes between indigenous people and police officers at the weekend. At least 34 people died in the fighting. The laws relaxed restrictions on lumber harvesting and international exploitation of the oil-rich Amazon region.

By José Zepeda

Congress had initially proposed suspending the controversial laws for 90 days but legislators finally agreed on an indefinite suspension in order to give the opposing parties time to negotiate a solution.

Logging
Indigenous organisations started protesting in April after President Alan Garcia passed the laws, which opened the door to privatisation of the Amazon region, logging in the rainforest and drilling for oil and gas by international companies. Native people living in the jungle are vehemently opposed to the plans as they say they will not profit from the exploitation of their ancestral lands.

Last weekend, police officers attempted to remove protesters blocking a highway near the Peruvian city of Bagua. Twenty-five police officers and nine protesters were killed during the fighting.
 

Attacked
According to the government, the demonstrators seized a number of police officers and then killed them. Interior Minister Mercedes Cababilla blamed the protesters for the violence:

"They attacked a policewoman who was certainly not intending to attack them or kill them. Post-mortem examination shows they attacked the police with machetes and axes. Afterwards, the Indians took the automatic weapons from the police and shot them."

The protesters say the police started last weekend's violence. Walter Kategari, chairman of the National Organisation of the Amazon Indigenous People of Peru (AIDESEP) says,

"We have always been peaceful, until the very last moment, but we saw our brothers fall dead on the ground and we had to respond. We didn't have any weapons; they attacked us with teargas and machine guns from helicopters. We're not trying to justify what we did; both sides were at fault. We will take responsibility for what we did."

The violence has had serious repercussions in Lima; Women's Affairs Minister Carman Vildoso resigned in protest over the government's handling of the demonstrators.
 

Asylum
Indigenous leader Alberto Pizango, blamed by the government for the violence in Bagua, has sought refuge in the Nicaraguan embassy in Lima. The Peruvian government has issued an arrest warrant for Mr Pizango, charging him with sedition, conspiracy and rebellion. However, the Nicaraguan government has granted him asylum and has requested safe passage out of Peru for Mr Pizango.
 

Some, 3000 protesters are still barricading an important motorway into the Amazon region. They say they will leave only when the controversial laws have been annulled.