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Cover Story

Cover Story - Spanish Version

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Waiting To Be Freed

Day after day, they sit in the same rooms, waiting. Hours tick by. The boredom is punctuated by a burst of panic every time they hear a gunshot.

For the 72 men held hostage inside the Japanese ambassador's mansion in Lima, Peru, the past seven weeks have been long and scary. On December 17, rebels from the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement crashed a party at the mansion. They took more than 600 guests hostage. The rebels have released many of their prisoners, but 72 still remain, including the younger brother of Peru's President, Alberto Fujimori.

The captives spend their days reading and talking. Some focus on household chores, like cleaning the bathrooms. "Any task, no matter how small, is better than idle thought," says Francisco Sagasti, a hostage who was released. Others dream of freedom. "People discuss what they would do in the first free minutes after being released," says another former hostage, Mario Vasquez.

Most of the books in the house are written in Japanese; most of the hostages read only Spanish. The same few books are read over and over. One history book has been read so often, its pages are frayed. Recently the rebels allowed the hostages to send and receive letters.

Since the crisis began, the International Red Cross has acted as a go-between. Every day, Red Cross workers arrive with fresh food, water and medicine. They bring more than life's necessities--they bring hope.

Can A Solution Be Found?
The rebels appear to be firmly in command. They have vowed to continue their struggle until all Tupac Amaru rebels are released from Peru's jails, which are famously brutal. Some hostages have begun to sympathize with their captors. Says one former hostage: "What they do is terrible and admirable."

Last week rebels and police fought a tense musical battle. The police blared military marches from loudspeakers. The rebels responded by singing revolutionary songs. The hostages could only listen in fear.

Japan's Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, is eager to ease the tension and help the hostages. He plans to meet with President Fujimori. The goal: to find a peaceable way to settle the crisis with the rebels.

Next: Cutting A Fine Line