US embassy cable - 88LIMA9331

C O N F I D E N T I A L LIMA 09331 
 
DIA FOR IR BRANCH 
DIA FOR OA-5/OS-1D/DB-6D2/JSI-4B/DB-3C1 
USCINCSO ALSO FOR POLAD JOHN YOULE 
 
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR 
TAGS:  PTER, PGOV, PE 
SUBJECT:  SENDERO ASSASSINATES APRA GOVERNOR 
 
1.  (U) AT LEAST TWO UNIDENTIFIED GUNMEN JULY 14 
SHOT AND KILLED THE GOVERNOR OF CHINCHA PROVINCE, 
LOCATED IN LIMA'S NEIGHBORING ICA DEPARTMENT. 
THE TERRORISTS SHOT HIM SIX TIMES IN FRONT OF 
HIS HOME AND IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS WIFE.  THE 
53-YEAR-OLD GOVERNOR, WHO WAS ALSO A SCHOOL 
PRINCIPAL, HAD EARLIER BEEN THREATENED AND 
GIVEN FIVE DAYS TO RESIGN FROM THE SCHOOL. 
ACCORDING TO THE LEFT-OF-CENTER DAILY, "LA VOZ," 
HIS SCHOOL DID NOT SUPPORT THE NATIONAL TEACHERS' 
STRIKE.  THE PRESS HAS GIVEN THE MURDER 
CONSIDERABLE COVERAGE; THE PRO-SENDERO DAILY, 
"EL DIARIO," IN ITS FRONT PAGE HEADLINE 
ATTRIBUTED THE ATTACK TO SENDERO LUMINOSO (SL), 
AND CLAIMED THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST ASSASSINATION 
OF AN APRA FUNCTIONARY IN THIS PART OF THE 
COUNTRY. 
- 
2.  (C) COMMENT:  SL MAY HAVE TARGETTED THE 
GOVERNOR FOR HIS FAILURE TO SUPPORT THE 
TEACHERS' STRIKE.  "EL DIARIO," HOWEVER, 
DID NOT MENTION HIS STANCE ON THAT ISSUE. 
SENDERO REMAINS ACTIVE OUTSIDE OF LIMA, WHERE 
THERE HAS BEEN A LULL IN TERRORISM SINCE THE 
JUNE 12 ARREST OF THE GROUP'S SECOND-IN-COMMAND, 
OSMAN MOROTE. 
 
WATSON