Last week, 80 sets of remains were handed over to families in Ayacucho by state authorities. Among those were the remains of three people from the village of Huallhua, high in the mountains of Ayacucho. EPAF worked with some of the families that were involved in receiving remains that day in Ayacucho and I have sat and talked and eaten with many of them myself, but we have no presence in Huallhua.

Huallhua is a tiny village that, like many, still lives with open wounds from the conflict. I wanted to use the blog today to mention three names: Felix Huaman, Nestor Curo and Narcizo Cusiche. These three men were the remains that were returned to the people of Huallhua last week. I want to mention them because I think their names and why they died are important to remember.

The story reminds me of Sacsamarca where AP and EPAF are collaborating to create an advocacy quilt. The people, abandoned on all sides, and isolated, took it upon themselves to help protect their communities and look after each other. These three men defended their small community from the approach of a column of the Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) to terrorize them and their families.

Like in Sacsamarca, the people of Huallhua had organized a kind-of community protection organization to keep watch and give an early warning of advances by Shining Path elements into the area. The idea would be that they could give an advanced enough warning that people could get away into hiding.

It appears their procedure worked that day in 1990. The hundred or so people of the village received the warning in time and escaped before Sendero Luminoso arrived, but Felix Huaman, Nestor Curo and Narcizo Cusiche paid for it. Their throats were slit and their heads were crushed against rocks, a favorite practice of Sendero in those days.

The 80 sets of remains returned that day were finally returned to the communities and the families where they belong. It’s a step on the path to healing and reconciliation that we need here. Yet, the fight now is for human rights and the people in places like Huallhua still feel isolated and vulnerable 24 years later. EPAF can and has been making a difference for a long time in Ayacucho. Nunca olvidaremos.

Please visit EPAF on Twitter: https://twitter.com/epafperu

…and be sure check out the Tumblr page for the EPAF Field School here: http://epafperu.tumblr.com/post/97095809641/peru-field-school-2015-transitional-justice-in

Last week, 80 sets of remains were handed over to families in Ayacucho by state authorities. Among those were the remains of three people from the village of Huallhua, high in the mountains of Ayacucho. EPAF worked with some of the families that were involved in receiving remains that day in Ayacucho and I have sat and talked and eaten with many of them myself, but we have no presence in Huallhua.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

Huallhua is a tiny village that, like many, still lives with open wounds from the conflict. I wanted to use the blog today to mention three names: Felix Huaman, Nestor Curo and Narcizo Cusiche. These three men were the remains that were returned to the people of Huallhua last week. I want to mention them because I think their names and why they died are important to remember.<\/span><\/p> \n\n

The story reminds me of Sacsamarca where AP and EPAF are collaborating to create an advocacy quilt. The people, abandoned on all sides, and isolated, took it upon themselves to help protect their communities and look after each other. These three men defended their small community from the approach of a column of the Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) to terrorize them and their families.<\/span><\/p> \n\n

Like in Sacsamarca, the people of Huallhua had organized a kind-of community protection organization to keep watch and give an early warning of advances by Shining Path elements into the area. The idea would be that they could give an advanced enough warning that people could get away into hiding.<\/span><\/p> \n\n

It appears their procedure worked that day in 1990. The hundred or so people of the village received the warning in time and escaped before Sendero Luminoso arrived, but Felix Huaman, Nestor Curo and Narcizo Cusiche paid for it. Their throats were slit and their heads were crushed against rocks, a favorite practice of Sendero in those days.<\/span><\/p> \n\n

The 80 sets of remains returned that day were finally returned to the communities and the families where they belong. It\u2019s a step on the path to healing and reconciliation that we need here. Yet, the fight now is for human rights and the people in places like Huallhua still feel isolated and vulnerable 24 years later. EPAF can and has been making a difference for a long time in Ayacucho. Nunca olvidaremos.<\/span><\/p> \n\n

Please visit EPAF on Twitter: https:\/\/twitter.com\/epafperu<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/a>

\u2026and be sure check out the Tumblr page for the EPAF Field School here: <\/a>http:\/\/epafperu.tumblr.com\/post\/97095809641\/peru-field-school-2015-transitional-justice-in<\/a><\/p>\n”,”class”:””}]}[/content-builder]