Amazon reclaims site of U.S. cult tragedy

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news/international/Amazon_reclaims_site_of_U.S._cult_tragedy.html?cid=31618918

Nov 22, 2011 - 20:35

By Girish Gupta

JONESTOWN, Guyana (Reuters) - Wilfred Jupiter clears foliage from an oversized gravestone on a site deep in the Guyanese rainforest where more than 900 Americans died.

The 80-year-old is one of few locals in the remote Amazonian nation who recalls the commune set up here by Jim Jones and his Peoples Temple cult in 1974.

Four years later, the cult ended in a mass murder-suicide that was one of the largest ever losses of civilian U.S. life.

"I was shocked," said Jupiter, who had helped clear the thick jungle so Jones and his followers could set up their self-styled Utopia.

"I worked with these people every day ... then they all killed themselves."

[Enrique]

1. also the only murder of a Congressman in our history

unless I'm mistaken.

[NNN0LHI]

3. Leo Ryan was the only US Congressman to be assassinated in the line of duty

Ryan's legal adviser at the time, Jackie Speier, who was nearly killed is currently a Congresswoman.

Don

[hifiguy]

2. That was one of the most disturbing things

I can recall in my lifetime. Just horrifying on so many levels.

[jberryhill]

4. Oh, the jungle, not the bookstore...

I thought maybe they'd bought up all of the Borders locations.