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August 1, 2003 (Missions Insider) -- Terrorists now pose a serious
threat in Peru, and one Peruvian mission leader is asking that Christians everywhere band
together in prayer to protect God's people from violence.
The mission leader, whose ministry sends missionaries frequently among the Yanesha and
Ashaninka tribes of Central Peru, has learned with grave concern about an increase of
terrorist activity in that region since March. He said that armed terrorist youths visit
isolated villages to give political talks, ask for donations of food, steal medicines from
the health post, and forcefully recruit young people and children. On several occasions
they threatened a local pastor with death and once beat him up badly because his church
members refused to attend indoctrination classes in a nearby village.
Up until early June the Peruvian government had apparently done nothing overtly to
respond. Then on June 10th a heavily armed group of terrorists temporarily took over a
camp of the Techint gas-line company in the jungles of Ayacucho, stole a large amount of
dynamite, and took 71 people hostage. They released the hostages several hours later when
the company agreed to pay a ransom.
Reacting quickly, Peruvian armed forces flew commandos into the area to intercept the
terrorist band as it fled to its base many miles away. Not long afterwards, other armed
forces flew into the jungle areas where the Ashaninkas live, with the aim of eliminating
other terrorist camps hidden in the jungle. Military leaders say that they sent over 2,000
men of Special Forces to combat the "small" numbers of terrorists. However, the
band that stole the dynamite avoided capture, the dynamite was not recovered, and nothing
significant happened to the other terrorist groups.
Besides being targets of terrorism, the Ashaninkas now say the soldiers, also, mistreated
them. Fearful of further mistreatment from one and retaliation from the other, many are
now leaving their villages in the areas affected by terrorism. This will hinder evangelism
and church growth, and adversely affect the well-being of the Ashaninka community.
The mission leader went on to say that Gen. Marco Miyashiro, Head of Peruvian
Intelligence, warned publicly that Shining Path terrorists are using not only violence but
also are infiltrating labor unions of teachers, truckers, bus drivers, etc., to gain
control of the country. He said the nation-wide violent protests that occurred in May were
a sampling of what the leftist elements can do through the unions.
Also, according to reports, a top judge has warned that some Shining Path people are
working through judicial channels to gain release of many of its members that are still
serving jail sentences. Some of them have also moved into neighborhood organizations to
introduce leftist ideas in government programs for the poor.
Newspapers have also published growing evidence the FARC, the Revolutionary Armed Forces
of Colombia, is helping the Shining Path. Evidence shows that they are providing training
videos, weapons, and instructors. Peru's army and FARC guerrillas have already clashed at
the Putumayo River (Peru's border with Colombia).
"And what the newspapers do not report, but we have learned from traveling native
workers, is that terrorists have moved into other jungle regions along with drug
dealers," the mission leader said.
"Fifteen years ago, when terrorism was bad in Peru, the united prayers of God's
people brought an end to the violence. Now we call upon God's people once more to beseech
God to put an end to the rapidly spreading violence in Peru, before we have another
bloodbath."
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