from John Edmunds The following letter wa j
=e" C S received b; i : : : the-Viotios..of Represeics an Posi, y the Committee for Solidarity with "I write to you with dee i
est gra c p2i ai sentence, p2rt of the wirth-otts anti veer ieee Pe er eoriced th ‘ : z aol s ped me being murdered. bey rtp oe diary ne ghee the Christmas gifts ena we know ¢ : 1ards. Se Rosa Alurco has tuken special care in patra Fie gifts, as she is concerned with political prisoners.
un erstund that handicraft goods made by me can be sold for the a of helping this camapign, I have sent sets of hand-printed cards designed by me here in The Fronton("The grim San Lorenzo Island prison, in Peru, where Hugo Blanco is serving a sentence of 25 years) "Fortunately I overcame the obstacles in carrying out this work. ;
"E would like to know from you the possibility of selling more cards. Besides the letters you receive from the lima Committee, I send you the following news: Comrade Eduzrdo Creus encloses two articles, one referring to my-co-prisoners; and the other to the case of Cartojin and Molina." (No articles were enclosed when the letter reached London) "We have just heard that in Abancay" (A district in Peru's central highlands) "two active peasant union leaders: Juna Villegas and Dionisio Salinas have been arrested. As they could not be tried for ‘union work' - work which is recognised by the state - they were arrested on charges of working against 'The public peace and security of the state.' Their names must, therefore, be added to the list of political prisoners. I can report that their spirit is wwbroken by prison life. "Today" (the letter was dated 5th Janaury, 1968) "Peru's 'Miss World! arrived in lima after her visit to Vietnam, where she entertained American troops. There was a demonstration in lima 2gsinst her servile attitude of collaboration with the imperialist aggressors; rotten eggs were thrown at her, and lecflets, supporting the Vietnamese people, were distributed. The Guardia de Asalto (a special tough anti-riot police) brutally pushed back the demonstrators, wounding many, and eight students were imprisoned. That is all for today.