Remains of 'Disappeared' Peruvian Pastor Laid to Rest

The remains of Pastor Jorge Parraga Castillo were finally laid to rest in Huancayo, Peru, last week, 18 years after he was taken away by the Peruvian military.

The pastor's remains were positively identified and returned to his family for burial last month. The funeral service held on 31 May was attended by his family, members of his church, and human rights workers who have been involved for a number of years in the investigation of the case.

According to witnesses at the exhumation, family members immediately recognised scraps of clothing found with the remains as those of Pastor Parraga. A DNA analysis confirmed the identification.

On 25 October 1989 in the village of Atcas, the evangelical pastor was detained by Peruvian soldiers along with two other men. They were tortured and beaten in the presence of their families before being taken away in a truck. The men were never heard from by their families again. His wife, Ida Beltran, who is disabled as a result of a car accident, was left with seven children all under the age of eleven.

To date no one has been held accountable for Pastor Parraga's disappearance and subsequent murder. Officials from the Peruvian Ministry of Defense have refused to provide investigators with information on military personnel stationed at the Manta base, where his body was found, at the time of his disappearance and death.

Peace and Hope, a Peruvian human rights organisation, has spent the last several years investigating the fate of Pastor Parraga. In recent years, witnesses came forward with information relevant to the investigations.

According to these witnesses, the pastor had been taken to a military base in Manta, where he was killed under torture and interrogation. In an effort to hide the signs of torture, the soldiers then allegedly doused the bodies with petrol and set them alight, later burying the remains on the base.

Evidence collected during the May exhumation seems to confirm the witness statements.

Family members have called on the Peruvian government to cooperate with investigations and provide the relevant information to the Attorney General's offices so that a judicial case can be taken forward and responsibility established.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide's National Director, Stuart Windsor, said, "The location and identification of Pastor Parraga's remains is a bittersweet achievement. While his family is finally able to mourn him properly, they must now deal with the reality of his death and we extend our deepest sympathy to them.

"We join them in calling on the Peruvian government to do everything in its power to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice."