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Peruvians march in support of hostages
Fujimori takes hard line against rebel captors
December 22, 1996
Web posted at: 1:45 p.m. EST (1945 GMT)In this story:
LIMA, Peru (CNN) -- Tens of thousands of people marched through the streets of Lima and other Peruvian cities Sunday, showing support for 340 hostages held since Tuesday night by Marxist rebels at the home of Japan's ambassador to Peru.
The marchers chanted for peace, waving the Peruvian flag, and called for peaceful dialogue between the Peruvian government and members of the Tupac Amaru group inside the compound.
Saturday night, several thousand Limans packed the city's central square for an emotional outdoor mass on behalf of the captives.
Shortly after the mass, Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori delivered an uncompromising speech on national television, calling on the rebels inside the compound to release their hostages and lay down their weapons.
"In this way the possibility of force being used by the Peruvian state will be ruled out and from there, with all guarantees, a way out can be studied," Fujimori said in his first public statements since the hostage crisis began.
Fujimori called the embassy takeover "a repugnant attack," and rejected the rebels' demand that some 400 of their colleagues be released from prison.
"The liberation of those who commit murder and terrorism is unacceptable," he said.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yukihiko Ikeda, who is in Lima, and Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto backed Fujimori's stance. Ikedo called for a peaceful resolution and the preservation of the lives of the hostages.
But Fujimori's broadcast was nearly upstaged by the rebels. They called a Peruvian television station using a short-wave radio, insisting that a peaceful solution was possible and that more hostages would be released.
Tupac Amaru leader Nestor Cerpa Cartolini, the group's number two man, said hostages with no links to the government would be released "by degrees."
On Sunday, published reports said that the rebels had demanded billions of dollars in ransom from Japanese corporations whose executives were being held inside the residence. The Japanese government and at least one of those corporations denied the claims.
Still no water, electricity
Victims inside the Japanese ambassador's residence continued to suffer from cramped quarters and a lack of running water or electricity. In a show of solidarity, Red Cross mediator Michel Minning spent the night with the hostages Saturday.
"The Red Cross accepts the role of intermediator only if the parties involved agree not to use force," said Red Cross spokesman Roland Bigler. "The presence of the head of (the mediation delegation) inside the residence is a certain sign to increase the security for the hostages."
Bigler said he believed the problems with water and electricity were technical only, and that the Peruvian government would have the utilities back on soon.
"It's dangerous for the hostages because they are not armed," he said. "In darkness any movement of any person can provoke a reactions of an armed person."
Photos of hostages emerge
Officials are also concerned about health problems that could arise because of lack of water.
Sunday morning -- as they have every day -- hostages held homemade signs up in the windows of the residence, asking Fujimori to give them "lights, water and telephone."
Photographs of the hostages released Friday show them idly waiting inside the compound for some resolution to the crisis. And while officials search for that resolution, others are trying to determine how the guerrillas were able to breach the security at the compound.
A newly released videotape shows the inside of the house behind the ambassador's residence, which served as the assault's staging ground. The video shows a wall, adjacent to the residence, blown out by explosives.
Correspondents Susan Candiotti and Lucia Newman and Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- 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
Related sites:
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- 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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