The European Parliament,

A. horrified at the assassination on 15 February 1992 by

Shining Path guerillas of María Elena Moyano, a mother of

two and deputy mayor for the Unified Left coalition of

Villa El Salvador in Peru,

B. whereas Shining Path assassinated many mayors, including

the mayor of Ayacucho, during the 1989 municipal elections

as part of its strategy to sow terror in towns and cities

and cause a rift between the working classes and their

left-wing representatives, thereby provoking a

confrontation with the state,

C. whereas, according to the conclusions of the national

parliamentary committee on the causes of violence and

peaceful alternatives in Peru, political violence has led

to some 20 000 deaths in the last decade,

D. whereas María Elena Moyano, known as 'Mother Courage'

because of her stance against terrorism, founded the first

women's federation in Peru and headed the efforts of

grassroots organizations in Villa El Salvador to set up

people's kitchens and 'glass of milk committees' providing

the only source of food for thousands of children,

E. shocked that women from grassroots organizations have been

the main victims of many attacks perpetrated by Shining

Path, including Juana López, director of the 'glass of milk

programme' for the district of Carmen de la Legua, Lima,

who was murdered in September 1991, and Emma Hilario,

Chairwoman of the National Federation of People's Kitchens,

who was seriously wounded in a machine-gun attack in

October 1991,

F. whereas the situation in Peru reflects the many problems

besetting Latin America, such as the economic and social

crisis, violence, cholera, earthquakes and drugs

trafficking; whereas 60% of Peruvians live in poverty,

G. having regard to the visit to Villa El Salvador (an

autonomous town which received the Prince of Asturias Prize

for Peace and Harmony) in July 1991 by its delegation for

relations with South America; whereas the 300 000

inhabitants of this town have only one clinic and no

ambulance,

H. whereas the UN Human Rights Commission meeting in Geneva on

15 February 1992 condemned this assassination,

1. Extends its sympathy to the family of María Elena Moyano,

the citizens of Villa El Salvador and the Peruvian

Government;

2. Strongly condemns this assassination carried out by the

Shining Path movement with the aim of preventing any

peaceful alternatives involving community development;

3. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to step up

cooperation programmes in Peru, whose democracy is

threatened by serious social problems, and to make special

efforts to ensure the economic and social development of

Villa El Salvador, this being the only effective means of

preventing the violent Shining Path movement from gaining

ground;

4. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the

Commission, the Council, the governments of the Member

States, the municipal authorities of Villa El Salvador and

the government of Peru.