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WHEN MANUEL GARCIA opens his house door near Peru’s capital, his neighbours rest in a macabre tableau of tombs and wall crypts amid flies buzzing around freshly-dug graves.
Garcia resides in one of the two impoverished neighborhoods that share space with the sprawling, century-old Santa Rosa cemetery in Callao, outside Lima.
Some 2,000 families live in modest homes that blend with the morbid landscape of the burial site, larger than four football pitches.
A tomb marked with the remains of Zenobio Zea, who died in 1979, is in the middle of the stairs leading to one of the slums.
Residents have no choice but to look at tombs on their walks to school, the bakery or the bus stop. Children play in a park next to the dead.
Garcia’s window has a view to one the walls containing niched remains in the illegal necropolis. He has lived for two years just 15 feet away from the deceased.
“We aren’t afraid, but we haven’t gotten used to the strong smell or the flies that go into the kitchen,” Garcia said.
The municipal authorities of Callao have shuttered the cemetery due to public health concerns.
But with a skeleton budget, the mayor is left with the conundrum of what to do with 20,000 tombs and how to lock it down to prevent more burials.
“It’s a threat to public health and people run the risk of an epidemic,” said Aldo Lama, director of a Callao health agency that has asked for the cemetery’s closure for lack of health and safety standards since 1998.
Bad smell
The place smells of liquor and rubbish while dog faeces litter some paths.
Leaving flowers or notes for many of the dead requires the agility of an acrobat: some of the niche walls stack 10 tomb spaces on top of each other.
Some believe shady things are done to the bodies.
“They traffic the dead, sell them to university,” said a woman who sells candy around the cemetery, looking suspiciously to her left and right.
“Don’t ask my name. Nobody can talk here. Everybody is afraid of the bricklayers and the gravediggers.”
The cemetery has grown so much that it can be hard finding a loved one’s grave.
“They let the cemetery grow as they wish,” said a woman who was searching for her father’s tomb for a half hour to lay a flower on his birthday.
Cheap graves
The cemetery emerged in 1912 on a hill known as a La Regla. As Lima expanded, people began to occupy the empty lots around the cemetery, mixing with the crypts, which were also increasing.
For the poor, the Santa Rosa cemetery is the most affordable option. A tomb can cost between €2,750 and €4,500 at a private grave site, and up to €915 at a municipal cemetery.
A company named Taboada charges up to €230 for a final resting place at the Santa Rosa cemetery, according to the authorities.
Doyle Costa, a Callao municipal official, said the company has no permit and has been accused of public health violations.
“But nobody knows who they are,” Costa said.
Authorities have closed a chapel where a man with a Bible was charging people for funeral services.
But Santa Rosa is not the only illegal cemetery in the region. Of 50 cemeteries identified by the health ministry in Lima and Callao province, only 18 are legal.
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Someone needs to do a special poisoning operation on Putin soon, before it’s too late…
@Seamus Quaide: Maybe Mick Wallace and Clare Daly can have a word with him.
@Seamus Quaide: likewise with the Ukrainians turning on their own through paranoia and tying them to poles and being beaten. War brings out the worst in all, Ukrainians are no exception.
@Conor: you may stay off that funny juice. Its frying your brain
@Conor: who are we to say what we would do if subjected to genocide by an enemy fascist regime on such a scale. I’m sure it brings out the worst in everyone.
@Conor: Watching too much Russian television methinks comrade Conor.
@Seamus Quaide: Many have been speculative about the notion of Putin being assassinated however, would be assassins will be conscious that he could in theory have Russian ICBM’s configured to launch if his heart stops beating.
@Seamus Quaide: Putin is 70yrs old in a few months. It’s not unknown for 70yr olds to die of natural causes. I know you said “in theory” but there is absolutely no way, no how the Russian Government or military would even consider something so ridiculous.
@Conor: got some evidence some verified links that are fact checked.
@: over a dozen videos here, https://twitter.com/youblacksoul/status/1505312206711361545?s=21
Be sure to forward to Disney to have them verify if SFX
@GrumpyAulFella: you are correct. The more I see of these events the more I think that the actual fascists are in the Kremlin.
26 days of war, 26 days of war crimes. Is the act of genocide now something to overlook too?
@Eddie O’Neill: In 2003 the US and UK invaded Iraq even after the UN resolution condemning an invasion.
One million civilians died in Iraq.No leaders of these countries were convicted of war crimes.
No sanctions were made against US and UK.
The most vocal leaders that condem Russia have blood on their hands.
@Eddie O’Neill: What genocide?
Why are Emerites, Qatar and Quantas still operating in and out of Russia. (St Petersburg) Can someone throw some light on this.? I assumed all external airlines embargoed Russia. This does not seem to be the case. By continuing to fly there they are giving legitimacy to the horrible actions led by Putin.
@Irish big fellow: Whatever about the international sanctions which aim to cripple Putins regime, there are still millions of innocent Russians who need to get their post, medicine and stuff off wish.com which these airlines are facilitating.
@Chris Linehan: I’m sure there are plenty of innocent Ukraines that need those things also
@Irish big fellow: probably for the same reason Irish people buy Israeli, Saudi, Chinese products. We say one thing and do another.
@Tomás Barrett: Obviously. Now I could be wrong, but maybe these airlines have mild concerns about flying through airspace where missiles are zooming around the place and airports are blown bits or at risk of being blown to bits.
@Irish big fellow: Emirates, Qatar, Turkish and a number of other airlines continue to operate and market their Russian operations.
Qantas is not operating through Russian airspace at all however some of its Darwin-London services are getting very close as they skim the North Pole.
@Chris Linehan: “obviously” and yet you seem more concerned about the people form the aggressor country being inconvenienced by not getting their good from Wish then. Ukrainians getting essential supplies. Perhaps Russians could pressure on Putin to stop if they are inconvenienced.
@Tomás Barrett: Ah get back in your box. How you think I “seem” and reality are two different things. In a mad world, its actually quite possible to see how events in the Ukraine are horrible for the Ukrainians and the ensuing sanctions also harmful to the innocent Russian population who themselves have no hand in the actions of Putin. There’ll be people in Russia inconvenienced by this and there’ll be those in Russia who may die as a direct result of the sanctions. That being the tragic consequence of what is necessary. Whether the Russian population will eventually overthrow Putin, like we all hope they will, is a different topic.
Maybe if the Ukrainians should stop stockpiling ammunition and stationing platoons of troops along side non-combat civilian.
@TheWhitelunalion: How much code are you made of?
@TheWhitelunalion: — If Ukraine hadn’t been invaded by the neighbour from hell to satisfy the ego of a mad man, you’d have to think of some other topic to post nonsense about.
@E.J. Murray: you are so right Putin is a very satanic person that only wants to cause optimum cruelty,death and destruction to Ukraine and lie to his own people that he is doing good.
I taught the Russian Astronauts said it all to him on Saturday when the wore the Ukraine colours…
I pray the Russian people will continue to wake up and stand up to him.
@Diarmuid Hunt: I am made of no code, I wasn’t made of code when Nato bombed Iraq Afghanistan Libya and Syria, I wasn’t made of code when German Polish Latvian French UK and US troops were in Afghanistan, trying to clean up the US mess of training and Arming the Taliban, or when the same mess happen with ISIS.
@TheWhitelunalion: Two wrongs don’t make a right. Why should Ukraine surrender amd accede to any request of Russia?
@TheWhitelunalion: Also to be fair your comment had the feel of a bot comment have a read over it. Now I know you think Ukraine should surrender because US/NATO have done horrific things – I mean still senseless but has a more human thought out feeling to it at least .
@TheWhitelunalion: whatabboutery don’t work no more rusbot
@Diarmuid Hunt: I didn’t say I don’t feel bad for the innocent civilians, that’s what I was trying to point out be saying the army or government shouldn’t station the armed forces so close, when they know Russia uses dumb bombs, I know all armies do it to trying and stop them from being attack, and yeah if they give up land, so they can build up a modern army with modern weapons, instead of weapons from the 70s and few thing the west used as hand me down, like Germany give them stuff that didn’t work.
And I would say to Peskov, that you have had the only result to the negotiations that your going to get and are likely to get which was “go f*** yourselves” or something of similar sentiment. And I can’t say I blame him so bomb the city away. The world is watching and taking note and it will be all used at you and Putin’s trial should he ever set foot outside Russia again, ever….
@Colm O’Leary: If you think any country will attempt to capture and put the current russian premier on trail for war crime’s your very niave. To touch him would be declaring war on Russia.
@Roy Dowling: he’ll be taken down from within. It’s only a matter of time. He has destroyed the fatherland, supplies are low in shops, the people are growing hungry, prices are rocketing, the oligarchs are unhappy. The sanctions are hear to stay and the West should categorically state that as long as the genocide in Ukraine continues and Putin remains in power then sanctions will persist. They should only be lifted when he and key members of the regime are on trial for war crimes and when they begin to pay reparations.
@GrumpyAulFella: yea right I’ll believe it when I see it. When superpowers invade other countries nobody stands trail
@Roy Dowling: if he lives long enough to stand trial then he’ll be requested to appear. Whether he does or not will be a different matter but if sanctions are maintained then he’ll either be deposed and forwarded for trial or taken out by one of us own. He is in an unprecedented position.
@GrumpyAulFella: give me one example of the leader of a world super power who stood trial for war crimes there country committed?
@Roy Dowling: Give me an example of world super power leaders who have been committed of war crimes that have not been brought to trial?
@Steve: Every single leader who’s ordered there country to in go to war with another less powerful country and war crime’s took place by the armed forces carrying out orders the given by those leaders. if Putin is guilty if the crimes committed by his armed forces then so are all the other leaders who done the same. Or shall we have double standard again.
@Roy Dowling: I can’t think of a super power leader who was ever accused en-masse of war crimes. I can think of several dictators though and it seldom ends well for the dictator. Dead or alive Putin’s days are numbered. We just have to ensure that sanctions are maintained and that the regime is punished until his reign ends.
@Roy Dowling: you seem to be suggesting that he’s not guilty of war crimes. That’s strange. He’ll either complete his mission of genocide and ethnic cleansing or he won’t. Either way he’ll pay the price.
@GrumpyAulFella: I’m not suggesting he’s not guilty. I’m saying other leaders of the superpowers are/were just as guilty. And then like Putin will never stand trial for there crimes.
@Roy Dowling: We are talking about that have been found guilty of war crimes by the relevant global governing body not you. There are currently no super power leaders who have been charged with war crimes so your constant waffle is invalid. If you want Bush and Blair (because that’s who you are talking about) to stand trial for war crimes I’d suggest you start a campaign to get them charged rather than constantly going on about them on here.
@Steve: Tell me why are the 2 men you mentioned not guilty of war crimes and Putin is? They like Putin gave the order to invade another country, thousands of innocent civilians died, reporters died, million fleed there homes to avoid being caught up in the bombing. All the same war crimes carried out as what’s happening in Ukraine yet you don’t consider them war criminals. Why are innocent Iraqi lives not equal to innocent russian lives? Why is Putin as a leader guilty for his militaries crime but the 2 men you mentioned above are not. And before you say they didn’t set out to kill innocent civilians you don’t kill tens of thousands by accident. And if they did thats some level of incompetence wouldn’t you say?
@Roy Dowling: but all of that would have to be proven Roy. That’s the point. Civilians die in wars. You are insinuating that the participants in the Iraq War deliberately targeted civilians acted in contravention of the rules of war and Geneva Convention and that all of those who participated in same (military personnel) were complicit. Maybe that is so and maybe you need to petition the powers that be with your case. Even so we can only comment on what we are seeing right now and the footage of the regime deliberately massacring civilians, bombing humanitarian corridors, schools, maternity hospitals, shopping centres. There is enough evidence to convict the dictator and his regime multiple times. But we don’t decide these things of course.
@GrumpyAulFella:Are you trying to tell me they accidentally killed 15 thousands Iraqis in the first week of the war? When the invasion started George Bush sat by a screen in the white House and showed the world what shock and awe was. He showed live images of bombs dropping on cities and live cameras in the tips of missiles hitting building they were hitting non military building and showing the world live on a screen in the white house with the then US president talking about it. They didn’t care who or what they were hitting this was Shock and Awe and the US president so pleasantly put it. I find it amazing that according to you on The US/UK accidentally killed so many in Iraq but Russia who are supposedly targeting all Ukraine civilians have killed less.
@GrumpyAulFella: I also find it sad that when it comes to Iraq you simply say civilians die in war but in Ukraine you class it differently. Amazing how the lives of non European people are not as equal to you as European people. Only reason Bush and Blair are not war criminals is simple. Their nation’s are allied with all the western world who dictate what a war crime is. Same reason Saudia Arabia war on Yemen simply ignored the joys of having the right allies. Simple
@GrumpyAulFella: you say we can only comment on what’s happening now. Well the Saudi regime has killed tens of thousands civilians in Yemen still ongoing bombing of its weaker neighbor. No war crimes apparently, no need to put sanctions on them, no need to stop buying there oil. Why is what Russia doing wrong to world leaders but Saud regime doing similar deemed ok by the same world leaders? One is allied with those leaders one isn’t is all I can think of. What’s your reasoning?
@Roy Dowling: George WBush and Tony Blair for war crimes in 2003
@Roy Dowling: The truth is that the situation in Yemen is part of a much bigger Arab issue between Sunni’s and Shiite’s. Let the Arab world sort out their own mess. How many Arab nations are lining up to help out Yemen? Should we sanction Saudi Arabia? Absolutely but it will not happen but that doesn’t mean we should let Russia off with what they are doing in Ukraine. The Ukraine conflict is on our own doorstep and we should not ignore what is going on and let Russia away with it because of Yemen, Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam (add country name here). This could also very easily escalate and Putin invades other countries (Moldova for example). As for Bush and Blair they were not tried for war crimes so get over it. If you feel so strongly about it, start a partition but please stop trying to justify Putin and what he is doing in Russia and letting him off by suggesting that as other countries are not being sanctioned for war crimes so why should Russia. No one is suggesting that other conflicts were\are justified, no-one is suggesting that other countries and/or leaders should not be held accountable for past actions. You and only you bring this up on every Ukraine article, please get over it. These articles are about Ukraine and Russia and what is happening there so stop with your constant “oh you can’t say that because of this”, it is very immature of you.
@Steve: let the Arab sort out there own mess? Tell that to the US and UK, who decided to bomb Half the Arab to the ground. They get involved when it suits them and turn a blind eyes when it suits also. I bring this up on every Ukraine article that people call Putin a war criminal (which I agree he is) but the same people make excuses for other war criminals. Take grumpy for example, in the Iraq war, civilians die in war, Ukraine Russia targeting civilian on purpose.. see the difference. Tell me how did the those who invaded Iraq accidentally kill 15 thousand Iraqis in a week?
@Colm O’Leary: Again Colm (why does your name come up as Colm when I hit reply?), past conflicts and how we perceive those perpetrators\aggressors has nothing to do with what is currently happening in Ukraine. Again no-one is making excuses for other conflicts, no-one is saying that they agree with what has happened\what is happening in other parts of the world. You seem to have a massive bee in your bonnet and automatically assume that if someone dare call out Putin as a war criminal then that person must automatically think that Blair and Bush were justified in what they did and how dare someone call Putin a war criminal because of what has previously happened, how dare they!!! Again, no-one is saying that, only you in your own head. Again Colm/Roy or whatever your name stop your whataboutery it makes you come across as immature. This is the worst case of whataboutery I have seen on here and that is saying something!!
@Steve: tell that to Grumpy. Who said when it comes to the Iraq war. In war civilians die. Are you suggesting the participants in the Iraq war targeted civilians. Yet in Ukraine he says Russia are targeting civilians on purpose.. 3 men committed the same crime’s grumpy only wants only want Putin to be charged though. Where as I want all 3 to be charged. But I’m a realist. Neither will ever be charged as nobody will arrest the leader of a superpower as that’s like declaring war on said superpower.
Ippiiippipi
Did all other wars just stop because of this, we still have wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, and other places, this has been newsworthy, overall, as a war effort, and giving the days involved, and considering many wars previous, the actual death dole is acually tiny, the actually stats when Iraq was invaded, a quater of a million civillians lost their lives.
Russia need to stop killing, they should not be shelling innocent people!! …BUT there is allot of propaganda online… relating to the shopping mall..there is clear evidence of heavy artillery(positioned around centre) and it seems Azov elements were using it as shelter (looks to be truck loading bay area) and ‘possibly’ a weapons repo…don’t let USA or Britain tell you what to think….
have your say