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Gunshots heard at ambassador's house in Peru
January 13, 1997
Web posted at: 12:45 p.m. EST (1745 GMT)
LIMA, Peru (CNN) -- Three bursts of gunfire were heard Monday morning at the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima where 74 hostages are being held by Tupac Amaru rebels.
After the shots, police scurried through the streets surrounding the compound, but no further firing was heard. There was no immediate indication of why the shots were fired, and no injuries were reported.
It was the largest burst of gunfire since the Tupac Amaru guerrillas stormed the residence during a party on the night of December 17. Twice previously, the rebels have fired a couple of shots in what Red Cross officials later were told were warning shots.
Monday's gunfire came shortly before 11:30 a.m., only minutes after International Red Cross representative Michel Minnig walked out of the house where the hostages are being held. A short while afterward, Minnig returned to the residence and went inside, stayed a few minutes, then left telling reporters no one was injured. He said he did not know why the shots were fired. "We are trying to figure that out," he said.
Hours earlier, the rebels had posted a sign in a window of the house inviting a Peruvian television network to come in for an interview.
On Sunday, a meeting between a government negotiator and the rebels did not take place as expected. The negotiator, Education Minister Domingo Palermo, said the rebels demanded that he bring a proposal for freeing about 400 of their comrades from Peruvian jails.
The release of the prisoners has been the rebels' principal demand since the beginning of the 28-day hostage siege.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- Peruvian hostage talks fail to materialize - January 12, 1997
- Peru restores contact with hostage-takers - January 10, 1997
- Fujimori looks for peaceful options to end hostage-taking - January 8, 1997
Related sites:
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- Human Rights Reference Site
- The MRTA Solidarity Page by Arm the Spirit
- Voz Rebelde Internacional -- the official page of the MRTA in Europe (in Spanish)
- Internet Network of Peru
- Peru Home Page (in Spanish)
- 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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