AID CONTRACTORS ABDUCTED AND RELEASED BY SENDERO

UNCLAS LIMA 004784

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

FOR DS/IP/WHA AND DS/DSS/ITA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC PE
SUBJECT: AID CONTRACTORS ABDUCTED AND RELEASED BY SENDERO
LUMINOSO


1. Summary: On Sunday, November 6, 2005, 10 employees of AID
alternative development contractor, Chemonics, were abducted
and briefly held by a heavily armed group of Sendero Luminoso
operatives near the village of Santa Rosa de Yanajanca, in
the department of San Martin. After being forced to meet
with a community group and answer questions about their
alternative development work, the abductors threatened to
kill the group if they returned to the area. The employees
were released unharmed 5 hours later. End summary.


2. At 0940 hours on Sunday, November 6, 2005, 10 employees
of AID alternative development contractor, Chemonics, were
abducted by a group of 10 heavily armed individuals as they
were waiting to cross a river to the village of Santa Rosa de
Yanajanca, in the upper Huallaga valley department of San
Martin. The Chemonics employees were in the area to meet with
community members of a neighborhing village regarding the
alternative development program.


3. After tying their hands, the abductors transported the
group to the nearby village of Santa Rosa de Yanajanca, where
they were taken to a local school and forced to answer
questions regarding their alternative development work in
front of community members. The abductors demanded the
Chemonics employees cease all AD work in the region and
threatened to kill them if they returned to the area. After
stealing Chemonics equipment including radios, cellphones,
and cameras, the abductors reportedly planned to set the
Chemonics vehicles on fire but were persuaded by community
members not to do so, for fear of reaction by the Peruvian
National Police. At approximiately 1445 hours, the group was
released unharmed and made their way back to the Chemonics
office in Tocache.


4. RSO Comment: The area in which the abduction took place
is within the Embassy's restricted travel zone, and is a
known area of operation for the SL. In April of this year, 3
helicopters of the Embassy's Narcotics Affairs Section,
operated by Peruvian Police, came under attack while parked
on a riverbed not far from where the abduction took place.
In July, 2 PNP officers and a justice of the peace were
killed nearby when their vehicle was ambushed by armed
assailants.


STRUBLE