Alleged Massacre in Pomatambo and Parcco
The Armed Forces' claim to have killed 13 terrorists in Ayacucho in October, including an SL leader, is coming under increasing scrutiny. The left-wing press alleges a massacre, reportedly based on eyewitness accounts. Four respected journalists visited the area last week and are convinced that the Army summarily executed 12 (not 13) civilians; on that same day, the Army forced the journalists to leave the area. The Senate has promised an investigation, but human rights groups are skeptical that a serious inquiry will take place. Much remains to be clarified about those deaths.