The Committee to Support the Revolution in Peru prides itself on being an organization of words AND action. We are proud to have played a leading role in supporting the International Emergency Committee to Defend the Life of Abimael Guzmán's six international delegations that have thus far traveled to Peru.
 Demonstrations against Fujimori’s massace of MRTA rebels were held at Peruvian consulates in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington DC. The CSRP joined with hundreds of others outraged at the latest example of the murderous nature of the US-backed Fujimori regime. The CSRP had earlier held demonstrations in SF and NYC during the four month stand-off to oppose the coming military assult. |
CSRP Launches National Campaign to Expose and Oppose the US-backed Fujimori Regime!
The takeover of the Japanese Embassy by Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) rebels in Lima and Fujimori's subsequent military assault and massacre briefly focused world attention on Peru. Stark conditions of poverty and repression in Peru have led to armed uprisings-most significantly a People's War led by the Communist Party of Peru. In a desperate fight to retain power, Fujimori and his US backers have unleashed a reign of terror on the people of Peru.Death squad murders, military massacres, massive police sweeps, and the rape and torture of detainees are all common in Peru. In a cold new strategy for "disappearing" people, the US helped design and finance courts to railroad "suspects" through military tribunals with hooded judges-sending thousands into Peru's deadly prisons.
All this needs to be challenged. We need to turn outrage into action. To do this, the CSRP has launched a national campaign to expose and oppose the US-backed Fujimori regime. This brutal government is upheld by the US as an example of progress for Latin America. This is outrageous! "Fujimori" needs to be a household word-synonymous with the US sponsored crimes he carries out against the people of Peru.
This campaign depends on you
Take on the Fujimori regime by getting the word out. Talk with your friends about Peru, and how their action (or inaction) makes a difference. Order a bundle of the Peru Action & News and get these and other CSRP materials up and out in your scene (school, clubs--you know where). Stay in touch so we can send you upcoming Fact Sheets on US intervention, and on the desperate living conditions of most Peruvians.
at New York Peruvian Consulate
On October 5, 2000 with the slogans, “Down with Fujimori, Montesinos and all ‘Made in the USA Puppets!”, “US – Get your Bloody Hands Off Peru!”, and “Free All the Political Prisoners!”, CSRP members, supporters and friends picketed the Peruvian Consulate at Lexington and 33rd Street in NYC. The event was extensively covered by New York’s largest Spanish language daily El Diario.
CSRP Community Discussion in SF
“Fujimori in Peru: a U.S. Puppet in Peril”
On October 11, 2000 the CSRP National Office in San Francisco held a well-attended community discussion billed, “Fujimori in Peru: a U.S. Puppet in Peril”, at a San Francisco Mission District neighborhood cultural center (PDF Leaflet).
During September and October 2000 we set up CSRP info tables at local events to demand a new trial for Mumia Abu-Jamal, including Mumia 911 in Dolores Park and a speech by Rubin “Hurricane” Carter and others at Mission High School in SF.
Many CSRP members and supporters turned out for the October 22 fifth annual National Day of Protest Against Police Brutality.
CSRP Joined Democratic National Convention Protests in Los Angeles, August 2000.
CSRP Celebrates 20 Years of People’s War in Peru with SF Event, May 2000.
New York CSRP members joined tens of thousands at World Bank/IMF protests in Washington DC, and in SF too.
Participated in an all-day protest and concert in SF’s Golden Gate Park for imprisoned Native American political prisoner Leonard Peltier.
Celebrated International Women’s Day and International Worker’s May Day at two Bay Area events, March 2000.
Attended an anniversary program of the founding of the New People’s Army, Communist Party of the Philippines.
Spread the word at a rally and march for field labor union organizer Cesar Chavez.
Stop the Bombing of Vieques-US Out of Puerto Rico!
Joined others in a celebration of the life of imprisoned Black revolutionary Nuh Washington in Oakland (Nuh died of cancer six days later in a New York prison hospital)
Mobilized for the large Mumia Abu-Jamal Western Regional Protest in SF on May 13th.
On Wednesday, February 9, 2000 members of the International Emergency Committee to Defend the Life of Abimael Guzman and the Committee to Support the Revolution in Peru picketed the Peruvian Consulate in San Francisco (image right) with the following slogans: Protest the Deadly Prison Conditions in Peru! The Yanamayo Prison Uprising Was Justified! Defend the Lives of the Political Prisoners who Rebelled - Support their Just Demands! Local media reported this action as one of many held worldwide in support of the political prisoners at Yanamayo.
On January 11, CSRP members joined with hundreds of supporters of Lori Berenson at vigils in New York and San Francisco. Lori, a native of NYC, was working as a progressive journalist in Peru when she was railroaded into prison four years ago for alleged connections to the MRTA rebel group. Lori began a 15-day hunger strike to call attention to inhumane prison conditions.
With Rage Against the Machine in town December 19, 1999 the CSRP descended on “The Battle of Oakland” and got out hundreds of newsletters. Many welcomed the chance to get their hands on some truth about the revolution in Peru—the poster of an armed woman guerilla was popular (Fall 98 newsletter). The energy was positive and defiant among the 17,000 fans that defied the nationwide cop boycott of Rage due to their in-your-face support of US revolutionary prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal. Later that week at a Leonard Peltier (US Native American political prisoner) demonstration in SF, we hooked up with a crew of youth who remembered us from Rage and wanted to know more about Peru. That same week CSRP members made a presentation to a local high school group (who we also met at Rage)—two of whom became CSRP members!
During December 1999, a CSRP member arranged a couple of SF Bay Area college video showings and discussions about the People’s War in Peru. This was shortly after the massive protests that shut down the WTO meeting in Seattle, so many of the students’ questions dealt with what is it really going to take to put an end to international plunder and exploitation which the WTO represents.
CSRP continued to join with, and bring news of the People’s War to various demonstrations organized to stop the execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal.
During September 1999 we had an info table at the Mumia 911 concert in Dolores Park, San Francisco, and we participated in the “100 Cities for Mumia” outreach car caravan in SF during “Mumia Awareness Week” in September.
We co-sponsored an inspiring International Woman’s Day Program in March 1999. The event was held in San Francisco's Mission District. Check out the CSRP's presentation.
Joined 20,000 others at the “Millions 4 Mumia”, April 1999, in San Francisco. We met many new friends at our busy information and materials table. Check out Mumia on Peru.
Heriberto Ocasio and another CSRP member did an in-depth radio interview on KALX radio, Oakland, California.
The CSRP celebrated the 19th anniversary of the People’s War with street agitation and tabling this May 1999.
New York Chapter leafleted the new Peru Fact Sheet #3 in the community.
We distributed materials at a talk by Father Roy Bourgeois who is fighting to shut down the School of the Americas — a US training camp of Latin American assassins located in at Fort Benning, Georgia.
We joined numerous protests against the US/NATO bombing of the Balkans.
In May 1998 the CSRP celebrated the 18th anniversary of the People's War with a very successful program in San Francisco.
In March 1998 we held a dinner in San Francisco commemorating International Women's Day and the leading role women have played in the revolution in Peru.
We helped build events opposing 100 years of US occupation of Puerto Rico.
Participated in a coalition defending the peasants of Chiapas, Mexico.
Attended Jericho 98 rallies for US political prisoners, also joined other demos for Mumia Abu-Jamal and Leonard Peltier.
Protested threats of renewed US bombing of Iraq.
In June 1998 we joined Lori Berenson supporters in New York to demand her release during a Fujimori visit-Lori was railroaded and imprisoned in Peru for her alleged association with MRTA rebels.
Continued to participate in both the NY-based National Coalition to Protect Political Freedom and the Anti-Intervention Network.
In celebration of the Day of Heroism in June 1997, the New York City chapter of the CSRP held a program at a local bookstore.
In San Francisco the CSRP participated in the Cinco de Mayo 1997 parade for the fifth consecutive year with guerrilla theater and a float (well, a decked out truck--see photos below from last year). CSRP members dressed as guerrilla fighters kicked Uncle Sam's butt the entire length of the parade route while Uncle Sam manipulated a Fujimori puppet. 3,000 leaflets condemning Fujimori's massacre of the MRTA rebels were distributed to applauding spectators.
CSRP chapters in New York and the Bay Area played active roles in organizing outrage to Fujimori's MRTA massacre (see CSRP Statement with demonstration photos).
On May 17, 1997 a dinner was held in San Francisco to celebrate the 17th anniversary of the initiation of the People's War on May 17, 1980.
Also on May 17, the CSRP participated in a forum organized by the Los Angeles Committee for Human Rights and Freedom for Political Prisoners in Peru.
International Women's Day on March 8, 1997 was celebrated with a fundraising dinner commemorating the revolutionary women of Peru.
CSRP National Spokesperson Heriberto Ocasio was in San Diego to present a paper entitled "Peruvian System of Injustice since Fujimori's 1992 Self-Coup" at an academic conference on Latin America.
Heriberto Ocasio was also a featured guest recently on the largest Native American radio station in the US located in Pine Ridge, South Dakota.
And Heriberto was in Santa Cruz, California to read passages written by Mumia Abu-Jamal about Peru at a program organized to demand a new trial for Mumia who was framed for the killing of a Philadelphia policeman in 1982.
Much of the CSRP's work is done on street corners, setting up informational tables, meeting new supporters, trying to break through in the media, and working with people across the country...
1996 highlights included:
- joined with friends and family of Lori Berenson on May 20, 1996 at a New York demonstration in front of the Peruvian Mission during Fujimori's visit to the US
- sponsored programs across the US on the two-line struggle over the sellout call for peace negotiations;
- held our annual dinner program to celebrate International Woman's Day in San Francisco's Mission District;
- organized a panel at a major scholars conference on Latin America (held in Santa Fe, New Mexico);
- helped publish an Op Ed in the New York Spanish language newspaper El Diaro La Prensa;
- participated in and distributed literature at the March 14, 1996 national "Fight the Right" march called for by the National Organization of Women (NOW);
- continued to support the CSRP/IEC-Mexico in their legal battle against political repression by the Mexican government.
On May 5th 1996, for the fourth consecutive year, the CSRP marched as a contingent in San Francisco's Cinco de Mayo parade.
This year, not only did we have a "float" decked out in CSRP banners (photos below), but also: an Uncle Sam with a pair of "running dogs" (Fujimori and Montesinos) surrounded by guerrilla fighters, a bilingual "Support the People's War in Peru" banner, and a crew that distributed thousands of leaflets in both English and Spanish to the parade onlookers as our contingent passed -- see the "Introduction to the revolution in Peru" for the text of the leaflet distributed. Many thoroughly enjoyed watching Uncle Sam take the wrath of the People's War and cheered on the street theater.
 |  CSRP's Cinco de Mayo parade "float" (1996) |
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The CSRP held well-attended events in both San Francisco and New York to mark the 15th anniversary of the initiation of the armed struggle led by the PCP (May 1995). These public celebrations were part of worldwide efforts to step up international support for the revolution. "Why the People's War in Peru is Justified and Why it is the Road to Liberation" is the complete text of this presentation.
 NYC CSRP Activists Disrupt Fujimori Press Conference |
Protesters from the New York City CSRP disrupted a Fujimori press conference (March 14, 1994). A 15-foot banner which read "Down with US Intervention in Latin America" and "Support the Revolution in Peru" was stretched out in front of the Peruvian dictator (right). Fujimori was forced to answer the question, "Why don't you let Guzmán speak for himself, what are you afraid of?" Full report.
The CSRP and IEC Hounded Fujimori at a US-Sponsored Summit in Miami (December 1994). Activists from several US cities converged on the "Summit of the Americas" in Miami to denounce the crimes of the US-backed Fujimori regime in Peru and the summit itself. Fujimori was opposed before the summit even began, when he arrived to give a speech at the opening of an Inca art exhibit in Miami. Fujimori and dozens of international reporters were confronted by demonstrators - one dressed in a striped "1509" prison uniform - carrying the banner "Defend the Life of Abimael Guzmán" in Spanish, French, and English. Several protesters later got inside the event and chanted, "Fujimori, asesino, vendido hijo del imperialismo!" ("Fujimori, assassin, sellout son of imperialism!").
 CSRP Protests Fujimori at the White House, 1991 |
CSRP members protested against Fujimori during his visit to the White House, September 1991. The banner read "Yanqui Go Home!, US out of Peru"
Committee to Support the Revolution in Peru
PO Box 1246, Berkeley, California 94701
415-252-5786 * Fax: 415-252-7414
www.csrp.org