Wednesday, April 28, 2004

Peru: A force of 220 police officers have regained control of the the town of Ilave, where after at least a week of futile peaceful protests thousands of Aymara Indians beat and lynched a mayor, who refused to step down amid a corruption scandal. They then surrounded the police station and burned it down, with at least initially 50 police still in it. President Alejandro Toledo has promised to punish those responsible for the uprising. Three government employees were taken hostage and are still missing.