Press Release N° 156

Exhumations in Lucanamarca End

The remains of 62 people killed by the
Shining Path in 1983 were recovered.
After six days of work, the Joint Work Platform for the exhumation of common burials made up by the by the Prosecutor’s Office, the Ombudsman’s Office, the Human Rights National Coordination Entity and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission concluded their work in the Lucanamarca district with a recovery of the remains belonging to 62 people murdered by the Shining Path in 1983.The last procedure was performed this morning in the Llaccua village located 4 160 m.a.s.l., a place where one arrives after two hours by car and a 30-minute walk. In this place, the experts exhumated the remains of 8 people, among which 5 children whose ages were between 2 and 11 years.

Six Days of Work
In the Lucanamarca district, Huancasancos province, Ayacucho department, 8 places with the remains of 69 people murdered by the Shining Path in 1983 were located. These were the villages of Yanaccollpa, Asunción de Erpa, San José de Julo, Ataccara, Muylacruz, Santa Rosa de Qocha, Llacchua and the district of Lucanamarca, where the remains of these people were distributed in common burials and cemeteries.
To carry out this work, started on Saturday November 9th, two work teams were conformed and work simultaneously. The works were led by the Huancansancos Prosecutor, Edwin Sanchez, the Spanish expert, Mercedes Salado, the representative of the Guatemala Forensic Anthropology Foundation, Prosecutor Maria Isabel Barreda of Ayacucho and International monitor, Luis Fondebrider, a representative of the Forensic Anthropology Argentinean Team.
The victims’ families who permanently accompanied this process have foreseen for today in the evening a symbolic act to bid farewell to victims in which authorities and district people, victims’ families and forensic personnel will participate. They will all give a temporary farewell to the victims of the Lucanamarca massacre.

Morgue Work to be Carried Out in Lima
So as to start the work of analyzing and identifying the remains found in Lutanamarca, a mobile morgue will be installed in the Museo de la Nación in Lima. This is why, a departure for Lima of the Lucanamarca massacre victims’ remains is foreseen for tomorrow at midday. Presumably, morgue work will take from 2 to 3 weeks.
Some relatives will also arrive in the capital to aid with the identification of victims. We must remember that once these investigation works conclude, the remains will be given back to their relatives in Lucanamarca so they celebrate the corresponding funerals.

Lima, November 14th, 2002

Communications and Public Impact Office