If you are in Peru and near Cuzco, these folks desperately need a friendly face...see their story, it's exceptionally hellish! I am hoping some of the Dakar people (mechanics) might be able to help them get their Tacoma 4x4 fixed! Lets spread te word throughout ADVrider! http://adventureamericas.wordpress.com/2013/01/03/nightmare-in-peru/ Contact me if you have any advice or information that could help!!! 20Fingers
maybe showing their hallucinanting report to the American press that's at the Dakar start in Lima? They could even ask teh local organsers if the staying of the Rally in Peru will be safe for concurrents and crew, and waiting for a reply with a microphone and a camera could mean something... Anyway can't believe a so poor helping from Usa Consulate...
what the heck, man? do they not fear repercussions of any kind? were they simply a village of thieves? Not encountered anything like this since the dark ages.
I understand the desire to put this in racing due to the Dakar and the attention around Peru, but this is not really a racing thread and may garner more attention in regionals.
Wow, that's a helluva story. It sounds like they're out of danger now which is good. It's a shock for me to read this story after meeting so many great people and having great experiences in Peru. I encountered a lot of indigenous folks in the mountains, even rode near Ocongate, and I'm vexed by the experience these folks had. I have no words..
My first thought was to send in Seal Team 6 to make sure no other travelers fall into the same fate. Then again, that would make every village react this way when travelers came through, probably worse. There must be some twisted logic in the villagers' actions, though, considering women and children were involved. Do they consider themselves legit police, and the resistant travelers fleeing criminals? The villagers must have experienced some serious shit to have come up with all the whistle stuff ahead of time. Should those who encounter a situation like this just place themselves at the mercy of whoever they encounter in the jungle, and not resist? This situation sounds only marginally better than being at the hands of a drug cartel in Mexico. At this point, Machu Picchu is off my bucket list.
I've never heard any comparable story outside of a war zone, tribal conflict or civil war, or long-term breakdown of government (e.g., DRC, Somalia). Obviously there's a lot more here than meets the eye, and probably we'll never have any idea what it is. For one thing, the description given in the link is clearly incomplete. For example, no one being seriously beaten by a crowd (with rocks, whips, feet and hands) survives that long. This ain't Hollywood. I'd be really dubious if the blog didn't provide context--evidence of real people on an actual journey. In the absence of evidence (photographs of injuries, police reports, or the busted up truck) it would be difficult to take seriously otherwise. I do know that there have been numerous incidents in Mayan areas of Central America in which innocent (if clueless) tourists have offended locals by photographing or touching locals, especially children. Some of these have ended in serious injury, and at least one resulted in a lynching. Generally, the tourists were caught up in larger forces--deeply held indigenous beliefs, rumors of children being kidnapped and abused or vanished, etc. etc. etc. Presumably the same sorts of forces were in play in this case. For a whole village to act this way, it must have made perfect sense from their perspective. Waiting to hear more, in whatever form. Mark
Sounds like some kind of case of mistaken identity. Village had some grave injustice done to it to get it's citizens all riled up and vigilant. Possibly they fit the description of the perpetrators and then, when they refused to identify themselves it sent up a lot of red flags. When they fled, the town probably figured they found the ones who "did it." Whatever "it" was. That's all I can come up with. A whole town of people doesn't randomly become dead set on killing 2 women and a man who are passing through for absolutely no reason at all. Had to be something more going on there.
Yes, there's good history there from tourists being unaware. The soul is taken, or something like that. I've had children run away, trying to hide, when they've seen my camera. There are usually three sides to every story: side one, side two, and then the truth. If these people are still alive, some information has not yet been given.
Somethings are missing in the story. It is strange that, after being atacked, they tried to camp only 10 minutes away?. There were at least 30 people chasing them and throwing rocks, and they were able to run for their lives for between 30 minutes to an hour through the village hills and rivers?. Peru is a safe place to ride. As in any place in the world, you must know what places are secure and in what places you have to take some precautions. As an example, you can be stolen, raped o murder in USA if you enter in some dangerous neighborhood or if you find a gang in the middle of nowhere. It is also important to say that this "villagers" are a kind of aboriginals, that consider they self like little kingdoms, and in the past, they had fought against Sendero Luminoso to keep their territory. Seem that part of the history is true , and you can also see comments of people of Peru repudiating what happened http://elcomercio.pe/actualidad/151...nidenses-fueron-agredidos-campesinos-ocongate
having traveled through Latin America I am perplexed also. I'll be waiting to hear or see more on this story.
I'm afraid we will never get to hear the rest of this. I'm amazed of this attack, I can't believe they would attack them without reason. Reminds me of the biker in Ecuador or Peru awhile back that was killed when he was camping in a remote area nearer Brazil, never did hear the whole story on that either. Oh to be a fly on the wall...
I thought it was a Canadian in his twenties in eastern Ecuador. Evidence seemed to point to a money related crime. I think his credits cards were used.
^^Thanks for the info Dan. I never did hear or remember much about it, this attack seems very strange if nothing was done to provoke it. Random act of group violence I think not but it will probably only ever be known by those present.
i think the bottom line is that bad shit happens to good people all the time, all over the world. the only thing one can do is TRY to avoid stupid situations where trouble is more likely to find you. single guy camping alone with fancy bike in a foreign country? yeah, yeah, "millions" have done it and continue to do it and the vast majority do it without an issue. doesn't make it a wise choice. unfortunately, he paid with his life. these 3 have a different story and i ain't quite buyin that they were just innocently hangin out drinkin beers and were randomly attacked in the way they were.
I'm not sure I buy any of that. Is there any way to verify any of that story? The whole thing just sounds totally unreal. If this is exactly what happened, I am ready to invade Peru. Somehow though, I just have some doubts. A lot of doubts.