Ecuador-Border Conflict
1-30-1995
^By ANDREW SELSKY=
^Associated Press Writer=
MACAS, Ecuador (AP) _ Foreign leaders appealed to Ecuador and Peru today to negotiate a peaceful end to a half-century dispute over a mineral-rich region where there have been four days of border skirmishes. But Ecuador today announced a new tax to pay for the war.
Ecuador's government ordered state employees to contribute two days of their annual salaries to help pay for the cost of renewed dispute, which centers over a 50-mile portion of southern Ecuador and northern Peru near the Cenepa River.
"These are urgent and necesary economic measures," Ecuador's government spokesman, Enrique Proano, said in announcing the new tax. A vehicle tax of 2 percent is being proposed to Congress, he said.
On Sunday, Peru and Ecuador traded charges over which was the aggressor in fighting that has claimed dozens of lives. Each country said it was fighting on its own territory.
Sunday was the 53rd anniversary of the Rio Protocol that ended a war between the two countries over their sparsely populated border. Ecuador has never reconciled itself to the settlement, arguing it was robbed of half its territory when a map delineating the region was agreed to in 1942.
The latest fighting is centered along a portion of the border that has never been marked. The disputed jungle area known as the Cordillera del Condor has gold, uranium and possibly oil reserves.
Ecuador staked out its claim to the area with military posts. It was the site of bloody clashes between the two countries in 1981.
Paraguay President Juan Carlos Wasmosy told reporters today at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher would travel to Ecuador and Peru soon to try to mediate. There was no confirmation of that report in Washington.
Wasmosy said more than one country would be needed to resolve the conflict, which he described as both political and economic, and offered the help of Latin American governments. Uruguay overnight offered to mediate as well under the auspices of the Organization of American States.
In Quito, Ecuador's capital, President Sixto Duran-Ballen said Sunday that his country would not retreat and insisted four bases under attack with planes, helicopters and mortars "are on Ecuador's soil."
On Saturday, President Alberto Fujimori said Peru "firmly maintains its position to defend the boundary line." He insisted the fighting was taking place within Peruvian territory.
But he added: "We are making efforts, both governments, I understand, to keep this from escalating."
Ecuadorean officials said their forces shot down two Peruvian helicopters, and that seven Peruvian soldiers were killed and two taken prisoner in fighting Sunday. They said one Ecuadorean was killed and another wounded.
Ecuadorean field commanders said 20 Peruvian and three Ecuadorean soldiers were killed in skirmishes Saturday.
Peru's government alluded indirectly Sunday to "the loss of human lives for political ends" but gave no casualty figures. Lima's Channel 4 television reported Sunday evening that 30 Ecuadorean and six Peruvian soldiers had been killed.
In Quito early Sunday, former Ecuadorean soldiers arrived at a military air base by the dozen to answer a call for mobilization.
"I heard the president on the radio," said Angel Franco, 20, standing in a rag-tag line at the base. "I said to myself, `My country needs me.' So here I am."
Ecuador's civil defense agency imposed a 9 p.m. blackout on towns like Mendez and Macas that are near the combat zone Sunday and instructed residents to carry flashlights and blankets and not to build fires.
^By ANDREW SELSKY=
^Associated Press Writer=
MACAS, Ecuador (AP) _ Foreign leaders appealed to Ecuador and Peru today to negotiate a peaceful end to a half-century dispute over a mineral-rich region where there have been four days of border skirmishes. But Ecuador today announced a new tax to pay for the war.
Ecuador's government ordered state employees to contribute two days of their annual salaries to help pay for the cost of renewed dispute, which centers over a 50-mile portion of southern Ecuador and northern Peru near the Cenepa River.
"These are urgent and necesary economic measures," Ecuador's government spokesman, Enrique Proano, said in announcing the new tax. A vehicle tax of 2 percent is being proposed to Congress, he said.
On Sunday, Peru and Ecuador traded charges over which was the aggressor in fighting that has claimed dozens of lives. Each country said it was fighting on its own territory.
Sunday was the 53rd anniversary of the Rio Protocol that ended a war between the two countries over their sparsely populated border. Ecuador has never reconciled itself to the settlement, arguing it was robbed of half its territory when a map delineating the region was agreed to in 1942.
The latest fighting is centered along a portion of the border that has never been marked. The disputed jungle area known as the Cordillera del Condor has gold, uranium and possibly oil reserves.
Ecuador staked out its claim to the area with military posts. It was the site of bloody clashes between the two countries in 1981.
Paraguay President Juan Carlos Wasmosy told reporters today at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher would travel to Ecuador and Peru soon to try to mediate. There was no confirmation of that report in Washington.
Wasmosy said more than one country would be needed to resolve the conflict, which he described as both political and economic, and offered the help of Latin American governments. Uruguay overnight offered to mediate as well under the auspices of the Organization of American States.
In Quito, Ecuador's capital, President Sixto Duran-Ballen said Sunday that his country would not retreat and insisted four bases under attack with planes, helicopters and mortars "are on Ecuador's soil."
On Saturday, President Alberto Fujimori said Peru "firmly maintains its position to defend the boundary line." He insisted the fighting was taking place within Peruvian territory.
But he added: "We are making efforts, both governments, I understand, to keep this from escalating."
Ecuadorean officials said their forces shot down two Peruvian helicopters, and that seven Peruvian soldiers were killed and two taken prisoner in fighting Sunday. They said one Ecuadorean was killed and another wounded.
Ecuadorean field commanders said 20 Peruvian and three Ecuadorean soldiers were killed in skirmishes Saturday.
Peru's government alluded indirectly Sunday to "the loss of human lives for political ends" but gave no casualty figures. Lima's Channel 4 television reported Sunday evening that 30 Ecuadorean and six Peruvian soldiers had been killed.
In Quito early Sunday, former Ecuadorean soldiers arrived at a military air base by the dozen to answer a call for mobilization.
"I heard the president on the radio," said Angel Franco, 20, standing in a rag-tag line at the base. "I said to myself, `My country needs me.' So here I am."
Ecuador's civil defense agency imposed a 9 p.m. blackout on towns like Mendez and Macas that are near the combat zone Sunday and instructed residents to carry flashlights and blankets and not to build fires.
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