Paraguay accused of raids killing a score of peasants

Paraguayan government forces killed more than 20 peasants during repressive raids in several parts of the country, Amnesty international said Wednesday. The raids followed attempts by the peasants to organize themselves and improve squalid living conditions. About 300 peasants had been arrested and taken to Asuncion, and an unknown number were held in Villarrica and Paraguari.

The government operation was launched in March after a small group of armed peasants stopped a bus and demanded to be taken to Asuncion to draw attention to their living conditions and to the deaths of several children from malnutrition.