Junín: indigenous leader Ulises Rumiche was shot dead and authorities demand sanction of those responsible

The indigenous leader, bilingual teacher and manager of the Amazonian Indigenous Peoples of the District Municipality of Pangoa, Ulises Rumiche Quintimari, was found dead with a shot in the head on the road that connects the city of San Martin de Pangoa with the native community San Antonio de Sonomoro, in the Junín region, according to the local authorities this Wednesday. The place where he was found is where the mayor official resided.

“Hours after meeting [Tuesday] with the Deputy Minister of Vulnerable Populations, when he returned to his community, Pangoa's Manager of Indigenous Peoples, Ulises Rumiche, was found dead and showing signs of being killed,” the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations said on its Twitter account. “We demand investigation and punishment from those responsible,” the publication adds. The police and prosecutor's office are already investigating the crime.

It was only this morning that the body was identified as Ulysses Lorenzo Rumiche Quintimari. His motorcycle, cell phone and wallet were reportedly stolen by the killers, apparently to distract the investigation. The remains were transferred to the Satipo morgue at the request of the representative of the Public Prosecutor's Office.

The Native Peoples Manager had held several working meetings for the installation of the Vraem technical table, with officials from the Ministries of Development and Social Inclusion (Midis) and Women and Vulnerable Populations (MIMP).

It became known that the coordination of the Installation of the Technical Development Board of the Vraem, rescheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, April 21 in the district of Pangoa, Ulises Rumiche participated in the coordination meetings until approximately 9:30pm, and then went to his address to his home located in the native community of San Antonio de Sonomoro.

The National Commission for Development and Drug-free Life (Devida) condemned the murder and noted that Rumiche “was a fundamental ally” in promoting sustainable development in the northern coca valley formed by the Apurimac, Ene and Mantaro rivers, known by the acronym VRAEM.

This valley has been under military surveillance since 2006, when the Peruvian government indicated that there were remnants of the Maoist armed organization Shining Path - considered a “terrorist” group in Peru - operating there in alliance with drug trafficking gangs.

“From Devida we strongly reject this fact and raise our voice of protest to demand speed in the investigations,” he also said on the Twitter network.

For its part, the Inter-Ethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Jungle called for “justice” for the crime and demanded “investigations to find those responsible.”

Crimes against environmental defenders are frequent in that vast and remote jungle area of Peru, where the presence of the State is almost nil, and they generally go unpunished.

MORE REACTIONS

Other institutions also spoke out on the murder of Ulises Rumiche. The Office of the Ombudsman mourned the death of the citizen nomatsiguenga, who was manager of Indigenous Peoples of the Municipality of Pangoa. “After learning, we coordinate with the competent authorities, in order to clarify what happened,” he said.

They requested the Police and Prosecutor's Office to make every effort to ensure speedy investigations and attention to the case, by taking measures with cultural relevance.

While from the Presidency of the Council of Ministers he expressed his deep regret at the death of Ulises Rumiche. He indicated that this fact demands “a thorough investigation and corresponding sanction. Our heartfelt condolences to the people of the Vraem”.

KEEP READING: