Aug. 1, 2002

LIMA, Peru - Authorities evacuated 150 foreign and Peruvian tourists in an army plane Thursday from the Amazon jungle city of Tarapoto after a strike by thousands of farmers turned violent.

Another 250 were still in Tarapoto, National Police Chief Jose Tizoc told reporters, but he didn't say if they would be evacuated. Authorities said the town has now calmed.

More than 100 people were injured Wednesday, most suffering minor tear gas inhalation, from the clashes between police and rice farmers, hospital officials said. A 56-year-old German man was cut on the hand by broken glass after demonstrators attacked a tourist bus, smashing the windows with rocks.

Major roads into Tarapoto remained blocked by protesters Thursday. The city's airport also was closed.

Authorities had shuttled out 100 tourists on Wednesday. The tourists were taken to the coastal city of Trujillo.

The strike entered its eighth day Thursday in the town 365 miles (590 kilometers) northeast of Lima, the capital. A government delegation was sent to negotiate with the strikers.

The farmers want the national government to buy their surplus rice crop, pay off their debts to private banks and roll back a recently decreed sales tax. Tarapoto's mayor and other civic groups have supported their protests.

Fifty-seven people were arrested as police fired tear gas from helicopters to disperse protesters trying to seize the Tarapoto airport. Several properties were looted, including a state-run bank office and a tax agency warehouse.

 © 1999-2004, PERU TO YOU    This page last updated on January 03, 2009