Fujimori's flight
Kansas City Star -- 2 July 1999
Letter to the Editor
by Alan Cheney
I was dismayed but not surprised by Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori's treatment of American Airlines personnel at Kansas City and his subsequent insults to American Airlines and the United States (6/20, Moneywise).
Keep in mind that this arrogant thug is the same dictator who has held young American Lori Berenson in prison for more than three years following a sham trial by a hooded military tribunal that gave her no due process as Peru is bound by decency and treaty to do.
This is the same arrogant "ally" who insulted the U.S. several times during the NATO bombings.
This is the same human-rights abuser that has just declared, despite the order recently from the Inter-American Human Rights Court of the Organization of American States for Peru to grant a civilian trial to four Chileans convicted of treason in a military court, that neither they nor Berenson will ever get a retrial and will rot in prison.
Contact your U.S. senator about signing a letter circulating in Washington calling on Secretary of State Albright to press Fujimori for the humanitarian release of Berenson, whose detention has caused severe health problems for her.
What better way to send Fujimori a message?
Alan Cheney
St. Louis