Written question asked by Angus Robertson (Scottish National Party) on Wednesday, 19 January 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 1 February 2005. It was answered by Bill Rammell (Labour) on Tuesday, 1 February 2005 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the number of people allegedly (a) detained, (b) tortured and (c) executed by (i) the Sendero Luminoso, (ii) Movimento Revolucionario Tupac Amaru and (iii) the security forces of Peru during the 1980s and 1990s; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the number of people allegedly (a) detained, (b) tortured and (c) executed by (i) the Sendero Luminoso, (ii) Movimento Revolucionario Tupac Amaru and (iii) the security forces of Peru during the 1980s and 1990s; and if he will make a statement. [210724] Mr. Rammell: We have not made an independent assessment of the number of people affected by the internal conflict in Peru during the 1980s and 1990s. Our information is based on the report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission published in August 2003. The TRC estimates (with a 5 per cent. margin of error) that the most probable number of victims who died in the violence is 69,280. Of these, Sendero Luminoso was responsible for 54 per cent. and the Movimento Revolucionario Tupac Amaru 1.5 per cent. and the remainder due to the Armed Forces, Police and Self- Defence Committees. We have actively supported the efforts of the TRC. This support has helped develop institutional capacity within this Commission in the regions most affected by the violence. The Peruvian authorities are now in the process of implementing the TRC's recommendations. We are currently supporting the work of the Human Rights Ombudsman's Office and the National Co-ordinator for Human Rights in this aim.

Secondary information