I can't believe I am writing about this cities public transportation problems again, maybe since I just saw a bus crash only a few feet from my home!  Just when I've raised my white flag and assimilated to the fact that traffic and everything pertaining to driving rules and regulations for the most part ceases to exist, something like this happens that gets my blood boiling again.  Growing up in the States has truly spoiled me this much I know for certain since I can never seem to get over such differences in lifestyle.

Last week I witnessed a large public bus try to pass a car by going into oncoming traffic only to collide with a large truck and veer onto the sidewalk and into the side of a building.  This display of the bus driver's complete disregard or lack of concern for the safety of his passengers aboard reflected a very common trend in mentality.  In Peru, one would argue that the passenger sacrifices certain securities in exchange for shorter travel times and quick arrival to destination, however at some point one has to ask whether the risks of public transportation in Lima are worth saving a few minutes on the highway.

To better understand the situation it is important for the reader to realize that Peru has one of the highest transit accident rates in Latin America, second only to Argentina whom of course has ten times the number of vehicles.  According to a study conducted by the Universidad Católica de Lima in 2007, in 2006 the number of victims involved in public transit accidents (in all of Peru) totaled 77,840 of which 6% were fatal.  Studies futher indicate that the number of accidents registered in the country continue to rise from year to year, even more surprising is that the number of fatalities rise with this trend as well.

The Ministry of Communication and Transportation published statistics that placed the most common cause of vehicular accidents was due to excessive speed (31.8%), which was followed by driver recklessness (25.4%).  This doesn't surprise me in the least bit since these are the problems which continue to persist today on the highways and streets of Lima. 

The publication further goes on to point out that an estimated 7,000 public transport drivers operate under suspended drivers licenses (for infringing upon public transit laws), of which shockingly 70% operate in Lima!  In Lima, there exists this almost complete disregard for traffic laws, which is apparent when a stop sign is taken a merely a suggestion by drivers rather than as an obligation (god forbid you ever try to cross at a cross-walk and a car has to stop at a designated stop sign, you might just get yelled at and insulted by the driver for not giving him/her the right of way).

How is one suppose to feel safe when the enter a public bus and put their lives in the safety of a driver whose only concern is to pick up as many passengers as possible while competing with other buses both rival and fellow company drivers.  Don't even get me started about the travel buses that transport citizens across the country while trying to beat the clock at all costs.

According to the Director Juan Tapia, of the Center of Investigation for Terrestrial Transport (Cidatt), "Peru has one of the highest index for transit related deaths in Latin America, with 30 fatalities for every 10,000 vehicles."  Director Tapia also stated that from 2001 to 2008 that the number of death and injury related transit accidents within the country (excluding Lima Metropolitan Area) has decreased by 6%, where in Lima it has increased 82%, with the common cause being the recklessness of drivers.  In this study the most common victim were pedestrians.

Some believe that the problem with the large incidence rates is due in part to a lack of a structured authoritative body to better enforce the plague of transit problems in Peru and Lima.  At the moment the streets remain unsafe and the risk still exists if not stronger than before when someone chooses to take public transportation.  This danger is also present for those who choose to drive their own personal vehicle on the roads and highways of Peru.  How does one drive safely while respecting the transit laws when many do not, it gives a whole new meaning to defensive driving.



Sources:

Universidad La Católica de Lima
http://revistas.pucp.edu.pe/willay/node/518

TerraPeru News
http://noticias.terra.es/mundo/2009/1229/actualidad/peru-tiene-el-indice-mas-alto-de-muertes-en-accidentes-de-transito-de-la-region.aspx

Rachel from Rachel in Peru just posted an article talking about the changes that the US Embassy in Peru is making in regards to US citizen and Resident fees.  This isn't good for those currently living in Peru and currently planning to get a visa or any other service.  Below is the full rundown.

Sensitive Privacy Act
This email is UNCLASSIFIED.

WARDEN MESSAGE
July 7, 2010

FEE INCREASES GO INTO EFFECT JULY 13, 2010
PASSPORT AND CITIZENSHIP SERVICES:
- The application processing fee for adult passport applications will change from $55 to $70.
- The passport book security surcharge will change from $20 to $40.
- The application fee for passport cards will increase, from $20 to $30 for adults, and from $10 to $15 for minors.
- A new fee of $82 for additional passport pages will be imposed.
- The fee for file search and verification of U.S. citizenship (generally conducted only by domestic passport agencies) will increase from $60 to $150.
- The fee for a Consular Report of Birth A broad will change from $65 to $100.
- A new fee of $450 is being established for documentation of formal renunciation of U.S. citizenship, which applies only to those persons who choose to take the Oath of Renunciation pursuant to Sec. 349(a)(5) INA.

OVERSEAS CITIZENS SERVICES:
- The fee for making arrangements for a deceased non-U.S. citizen is changing from consular time (Item 75 on the
Schedule of Fees) plus expenses to $200, plus expenses.

DOCUMENTARY SERVICES:
- Notarial and authentication services, which now range from $20 to $30, will all be $50.

JUDICIAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES:
- The fee for processing of letters rogatory will increase from $735 to $2,275.
- Fees for taking depositions and executing commissions to take testimony will change as follows: scheduling/arranging appointments for depositions, from $475 to $1,283; attending or taking depositions or executing commissions to take testimony, from the consular time charge of $265/hour to $309/hour plus expenses; swearing in witnesses for telephone depositions and supervising telephone depositions, from the
consular time charge of $265/hour to $231/hour; providing seal and certification of depositions, from $70 to $415.

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES:
- Consular time charges (item 75 on the Schedule of Fees) will decrease from $265 to $231.

While walking along Jiron de la Union (in downtown Lima) with Zdenka, we passed the famous Casa de Higgins (house of Higgins).  The main wooden doors were open and a sign stating "free entrance" hung above, inside was the magnificent house was an exhibit dedicated to the famous journalist Doris Gibson (28 April 1910–23 August 2008).  She was also the founder and editor of the popular weekly news magazine Caretas.

During the tour of the house and the exhibit I came across a historical timeline of Caretas which had one date that caught my attention.  The date was 1983 and next to it read "Death of Journalists at Uchuraccay", having never heard of this incident I quickly wrote down the date and info for further investigation.

The 90's and 80's were two terrible decades for the Peruvian nation which was left traumatized by the violence and bloodshed caused by the constant fighting between the military and guerrilla forces (MRTA and Sendero Luminoso).  It was during this period of violence that a group of seven photographers/journalists and their guide were killed near the emblematic department of Ayacucho, in the small town of Uchuraccay.  Upon researching the net I managed to find many articles and videos which covered the controversy of the massacre at Uchuraccay among others.  One particular website that I discovered was by an independent film company called Quinoa Films, which has been in the process of producing a documentary based on the tragic events and the controversy surrounding Uchuraccay.  According to their website the journalists were killed while in the pursuit of information regarding allegations and rumors of supposed extrajudicial killings by the military, a dangerous topic to investigate in the first place.  The film centers around Oscar Retto, the father of the murdered journalist and photographer Willy Retto, who travels with a documentary crew to the original crime scene in search of the truth about his sons death.  The film is spearheaded by the director Carmen Valdivieso, who claims to have known a few of the journalists killed in the event.  Unfortunately due to insufficient funds the production of the film has been temporarily halted while the independent company receives more funding.  They are currently accepting any amount of donation that would help to support their efforts to finish the film.

Below is a excerpt from Quinoa Films website that gives more information about the incident, also they have managed to complete a subtitled trailer of the film which can be found below.

"
This is an independent documentary about a group of journalists, who became part of their own story when they were murdered in 1983 in Uchuraccay, a remote hamlet in the Andes of Peru, as they were investigating rumors of extrajudicial killing by the military. It took place in the midst of violent warfare between the Shining Path, a Maoist guerrilla organization, and government forces.
The killings of eight journalists, all of them from opposition newspapers, might have been just another unfortunate event caused by the violence that consumed the Andean region during those years. Yet their deaths were followed by significant irregularities in the legal process. Most of the suspects were never arrested, and according to legal records, the military authorities in the area, led by Army General Clemente Noel, did not cooperate with Judge Juan Flores, the investigator assigned to the case.
Most witnesses in Uchuraccay died in mysterious circumstances, and the remaining villagers escaped to nearby areas, leaving behind a ghost town.

A government investigative commission concluded that the journalists were killed by the villagers of Uchuraccay, who took them for terrorists, mistaking their cameras for rifles.
The story took a different turn three months later, with the discovery of a bag belonging to Willy Retto, which contained a camera with some revealing pictures of the moment when the journalists arrived in the town and spoke with the local villagers. The fact that three of the journalists spoke Quechua, and therefore could communicate with the locals who could not speak Spanish, challenged the official theory of mistaken identity.
Some witnesses stated that the journalists were incarcerated in the communal house, and killed after midnight. Yet those witnesses also died in suspicious circumstances.
Three local men were convicted to six years in prison. Although the case was never closed, it has been kept for the last twenty years as confidential.
The purpose of this documentary is to tell the story and help the families to request the reopening of the case. This story honors journalists killed all over the world in the line of duty with contemporary relevance, as the Iraq war and other conflicts worldwide have left scores of journalists killed in recent years.
Bringing the killers to justice will contribute to put an end to years of impunity in Peru. Many other cases of killings in neighboring areas have been reopened and those responsible have been convicted. The killings of Uchuraccay should not be the exception."

Here is the video trailer from their website, and for those who can read Spanish it might interest you to read this pdf document that was put together by the NPO Truth and Reconciliation about the murders at Uchuraccay :





I have also include some other documentaries that talke about the incident but they are in Spanish:

I have heard a few statements from fellow friends wondering how exactly to post comments.  It seems some people have been having difficulty find the button to send a comment, so I figured that I would put together this mini tutorial:

First of all when you come to my blog the first thing you see are my recent posts in the center of the screen like the example below:

And there you have it folks!  I hope this helped and please feel free to share your comments

While enjoying my wonderful day off from work I found this AMAZING website called cebichetv.com

This website is totally awesome, it has almost every popular Peruvian TV channel as well as some other favorites from Peruvian Cable.  The site also has several links to Peruvian radio stations that offer live streaming radio broadcasts.  In general, this website is in my opinion the ultimate resource for everything relating to Peruvian media.  It's perfect for fellow Peruvians (also great for those who aren't Peruvian) who currently live abroad and would love to brush up on the latest local news or watch one of their favorite Peruvian shows.

For those of us who currently live in Peru, the website offers recordings of popular Peruvian sitcoms and shows all categorized by month.  For example, the new Peruvian sitcom Los Broders,(a show which revolves around two Peruvian detectives (inspired by the American series Starsky & Hutch) who fight crime in the mean streets of Lima, Peru) is just one of many shows that are offered.  This is perfect for those who work all week and party all weekend and don't have time to usually sit down and watch TV.  Cebichetv.com currently offers several popular programs like: Al Fondo Hay Sitio, El Francotirador, Puro Corazon, Recargados de Risa, etc.

If you love Peruvian radio, news, TV, music, then this website will be a real treasure to you.

This is a great article written by: Kelly deBorda

After your passport and Tarjeta Andina have been stamped, you'll leave the immigrations area and head over to baggage claim. When you've received your luggage from the carousel, you may or may not be asked to show your claim ticket and/or passport before leaving the area. Now, you will have also received a customs form on the plane. It should be filled out by this time. If you're coming to Peru as a tourist, you really shouldn't have any problem passing through customs. You're allowed personal electronic items, like laptops, gameboys, cameras, mp3 players etc - one each per person. if you're bringing gifts, there is a cap of $300 - but no individual article worth over $100. Anything else, make sure to claim it on the customs declaration form. As you pass through customs, you'll be told to press a button. When you do, you'll be given a green light or a red light, supposedly at random, but I have my suspicions. If you get a red light, you're baggage will be inspected.

>> Read More >>

*** photo and article extract taken from Kelly deBorda's site