Source: Portsmouth News
A human rights campaigner with links to Portsmouth is fighting to continue working in Peru.Religious activist Paul McAuley faces being expelled from the country after its government accused him of stirring up anger amongst the native population.
After protesting plans to sell off parts of the Peruvian rainforest to oil, gas and ethanol companies, the missionary was told to leave within seven days under an expulsion order. But last week a judge granted him permission to stay and argue his case on what would have been his last day in the country.
A lay member of the Catholic De La Salle teaching order, who run St John's College in Southsea, Brother Paul has spent 20 years in Peru and received an MBE from the Queen for his educational work in the capital, Lima.
The 62-year-old said he was only trying to teach the indigenous people their environmental and human rights. He said: 'Education is often accused of inciting people to understand their rights, to be capable or organising themselves to ensure their human rights. 'If that's a crime, then yes I'm guilty.'
For the past decade Brother Paul has worked with indigenous groups in Peru's Amazon region, where the current government has eased access for oil and gas companies. Local groups, launched a day of street protests in support of Brother Paul, and were backed by Peru's biggest unions.