Mass Grave Discovered in Emergency Zone
Clandestine mass graves are discovered 36 kilometers from the city of Huanta. This cable estimates that approximately 49 to 50 males and one woman were killed in a methodical manner and subsequently mutilated to prevent identification. While the Government officially denies any responsibility for the atrocity, media outlets — both opposition and pro-regime — attribute these killings to the security forces. For his part, President Belaúnde dismissed the possibility that security forces could be involved in the killings, calling such accusations "politically motivated speculation."