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Seven hostages released from Peru diplomatic compound
January 1, 1997
Web posted at: 11:20 p.m. EST (0420 GMT)LIMA, Peru (CNN) -- Seven hostages were released Wednesday afternoon from the residence of Japan's ambassador to Peru; they were escorted from the compound by two International Red Cross workers and Peruvian Bishop Juan Luis Cipriani.
Their release, the latest of what the rebel group Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) calls "goodwill gestures," came after Cipriani spent five hours inside the compound. It is not known what he said to convince the rebels to make the gesture.
Wednesday's release reduces the number of hostages to 74. They have been held for 15 days.
No high-ranking government officials or diplomats were among those released.
Four of the freed hostages are Japanese businessmen. Among the other three, all Peruvians, were Juan Assereto, the government's key privatization official, and Alberto Yamamoto of Peru's National Development Institute.
Earlier in the day, the bishop had entered the residence in an apparent attempt to negotiate an end to the crisis.
After the hostages' release, Cipriani spoke briefly.
"Happy New Year. I thank God that today the church celebrates that we can see these brethren free. Keep praying to the Virgin Mary so that she, Queen of Peace, can help bring back others to the difficult road of peace," he said.
'Humane' terrorists
The Tupac Amaru guerrillas captured the Japanese ambassador's residence December 17 by raiding a gala cocktail bash honoring Japanese Emperor Akihito.
Since then, they have released more than 400 hostages, but have booby-trapped the residence so that Peruvian police forces cannot storm the residence.
That did not stop the government from organizing a New Year's Day march around the diplomatic compound. Hundreds of Peruvians joined in the march, saying they want peace, the release of the hostages, and an end to terrorism.
Ironically, the terrorist image is precisely the one that the Tupac Amaru rebels are trying to counter. They constantly point out that they are treating their hostages humanely.
They let reporters into the compound on Tuesday for an amiable two-hour interview with rebel leader Nestor Cerpa. Cerpa denounced Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori's government as a "dictatorship," and repeated his condition for the release of all of the hostages -- that jailed comrades be freed.
On Wednesday came evidence that the leaders are even giving the hostages singing lessons: two guitars were brought into the compound per request from Cerpa.
And in keeping with a new trend among Latin American rebel groups, the Tupac Amaru rebels have their own page on the Internet, where they explain their goals and remind people that they're different from Peru's larger and more violent rebel group, the Shining Path.
Although Cerpa says his door is open to the Peruvian government's main negotiator, Domingo Palermo, Palermo stayed away from the compound Wednesday.
Fujimori was apparently angered at the rebels' sit-down with the journalists, seen by many as a publicity coup. He continued Wednesday to have little contact with the media, and kept Palermo away from the compound.
"The rebels' one-sided views were widely transmitted all over the world through media," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hiroshi Hashimoto said.
Related stories:
- Peruvian rebels repeat demand that comrades be freed - December 31, 1996
- Both sides appear to soften stance in Peruvian standoff - December 30, 1996
- Peruvians hopeful after direct talks with rebels - December 29, 1996
- Group of 20 hostages released after direct negotiations - December 28, 1996
- Peruvian hostage crisis enters 11th day - December 28, 1996
Related sites:
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- The MRTA Solidarity Page by Arm the Spirit
- Voz Rebelde Internacional -- the official page of the MRTA in Europe
- Peru home Page
- 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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