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I am submitting the poem below for publication. It highlights the excuses made and lies told by Peru's government about the violence at Bagua in the Amazon on 5 June last year when Peruvian police attacked peaceful indigenous protesters. The names mentioned in the title are those of the officials in charge at the time, none of whom have accepted responsibility for what happened: president Alan Garcia, prime minister Yehude Simon, Minister of the Interior Mercedes Cabanillas, and Minister of Justice Aurelio Pastor. These last three have now all left their posts. Indigenous leader Alberto Pizango is still in political exile in Nicaragua. This poem is an adaptation of a poem by the British poet Adrian Mitchell.
Kind regards,
James Pliny To whom it may concern (Garcia? Simon? Cabanillas? Pastor?)
'Free trade' shot me dead on the 5th of June.
Now I wear t-shirts made on the moon.
Say it was the Left who made them do it,
say the Church put them up to it,
say they didn't know why they were there,
say they were too stupid to care,
and exile them to Nicaragua.
Tell me lies about Bagua.
'Democracy' shot me dead on an Amazon highway.
Now I have my own party, vote my way.
Say it was them who attacked,
say the police just fought back,
say it was the Left who made them do it,
say the Church put them up to it,
say they didn't know why they were there,
say they were too stupid to care,
and exile them to Nicaragua.
Tell me lies about Bagua.
'Progress' shot me dead at the Devil's Bend.
Now I earn money I've nowhere to spend.
Say it was the US's fault, not yours,
say that was why you made the laws,
say it was them who attacked,
say the police just fought back,
say it was the Left who made them do it,
say the Church put them up to it,
say they didn't know why they were there,
say they were too stupid to care,
and exile them to Nicaragua.
Tell me lies about Bagua.
'Development' shot me dead, left me there to bleed.
Now I see a doctor whenever I need.
Say it was a crime to have protested,
say they should all be arrested,
say it was the US's fault, not yours,
say that was why you made the laws,
say it was them who attacked,
say the police just fought back,
say it was the Left who made them do it,
say the Church put them up to it,
say they didn't know why they were there,
say they were too stupid to care,
and exile them to Nicaragua.
Tell me lies about Bagua.
'Peru' shot me dead, took me away in a bag.
Now I know how to die for a flag.
Say you'll do a thorough investigation,
say you'll give them compensation,
say it was a crime to have protested,
say they should all be arrested,
say it was the US's fault, not yours,
say that was why you made the laws,
say it was them who attacked,
say the police just fought back,
say it was the Left who made them do it,
say the Church put them up to it,
say they didn't know why they were there,
say they were too stupid to care,
and exile them to Nicaragua.
Tell me lies about Bagua.
In memory of all those who died.
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