Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Huancayo (Agenzia Fides) - The National Coordinating Association for Human Rights (CNDH, in Spanish) will award the annual Prize for Human Rights, “Angel Escobar Jurado”, to Archbishop Pedro Barreto Jimeno of Huancayo. According to information received by Fides, the award recognizes in Archbishop Barreto the precious “work and contribution to the defence of human rights, and his firm support for the poorest.” The Archbishop of Huancayo was chosen as the winner by mutual agreement of the organization that brings together 80 entities which are active and engaged in promoting and protecting human rights. The awards ceremony will be held on 10 December at the auditorium of the Medical College of Peru, in the district of Miraflores. Ángel Escobar Jurado was a defender of human rights during the years of terrorism, and disappeared in Huancavelica in 1990.
The news was released about ten days ago with the express support of the Peruvian Bishops' Conference to Archbishop Barreto, after the attacks and threats suffered. “The Catholic Church in Huancayo has reaffirmed its commitment to defend life, health, dignified work, peace-building, and taking care of creation, and it declares its full support, trust and loyalty in Archbishop Pedro Barreto Jimeno of Huancayo, after the attacks he sustained by a group of residents of La Oroya,” the Episcopal Conference's statement said.
The events occurred in La Oroya on 15 November, when Archbishop Barreto was present at the press conference set up by a team of American lawyers for the trial of an American company (the Renco Group its shareholder, Ira Rennert) for damages caused the children of La Oroya as a result of environmental pollution. A small group of ill-informed people or motivated by other interests, became violent and verbally attacked the Archbishop, trying to physically assault him. Bearing the brunt of the attack were the staff of the Social Pastoral Care of the Archdiocese as well as some members of the Regional Environmental Roundtable in Junin. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 06/12/2010)
