US embassy cable - 05LIMA4784

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