BOLIVIA: Pando Massacre Suspects Brought to Justice

[magbana]

www.plenglish.com/

Pando Massacre Suspects Brought to Justice

La Paz, Feb 20 (Prensa Latina) The Bolivian Attorney General's Office
on Friday brought to trial seven suspects of participating in last
September's farmers massacre in the northern province of Pando.

The hearings are scheduled at the Supreme Court of Justice of La Paz
District, at the Seventh Criminal Court, according to the Justice
Ministry.

Porvenir town Mayor Edwin Ventura, accused of killing the farmers,
stands out among those arrested, with a preliminary result of 18 dead
people.

Suspects were arrested on Thursday.

The opposition, led by legislators Oscar Ortiz, Roger Pinto and Paulo
Bravo took advantage of an operation by soldiers and police agents to
accuse the government of being repressive, especially Presidential
Minister Juan Ramon Quintana.

Between 13 and 20 peasant supporters of President Evo Morales were
slain last September while marching toward the provincial capital to
confront separatists allied with Pando's then-governor, Leopoldo
Fernandez.

A Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) commission, the UN and the
Bolivian Ombudsman's Office agreed in calling the massacre a massive
violation of human rights.

nm/iom/ga

[Judi Lynn]

1. Hope they can either get a real trial there, or be taken outside the area to a place

where they can get an truly impartial judgement, not one slanted to protect them from the consequences of this massacre.

Thanks, magbana.