Humala Says Military To See Salary Hike Before Year-End

President Ollanta Humala said Monday that Peru’s government will raise wages for the Armed Forces before December.

“Before the end of the year there will be a fair increase in the salaries for all military personnel,” state news agency Andina reported Humala as saying.

Humala announced in his July 28 presidential speech that his government planned to raise salaries for the military and for the police forces.

“Many times our brave soldiers are the only state presence [in regions], having to attend to the necessities of a population that is hoping for an opportunity to improve their standard of living,” Humala said Monday.

The isolated region that Humala was referring to is the strategic area of the Apurimac, Ene and Mantaro river valleys, known as the VRAEM, which is Peru’s biggest coca-growing region, and home to remnants of the Shining Path insurgents. The rebels regularly attack soldiers in the region, which has led to more than 10 deaths in the past several months.

Humala said the government is committed to “pacifying” the region.

“For many years in this region, the state assumed a status-quo policy,” Humala said. “Leave this grave problem covered up with the idea that while in Lima we don’t hear anything about it, everything will be OK and that someone else will take on the work of pacifying it.”

He added: “The actions in this area have the objective of bringing to an end illicit activities, combating terrorism, reducing poverty and inequality and increasing security and social peace.”