LIMA, Peru (Reuters) - Dozens of unemployed fishermen have broken into a United Nations compound in Lima and stripped to their underwear to call for benefit payments they say the Peruvian government owes them.



Around 50 fisherman fired from the now defunct state fishing company, PescaPeru, climbed the fence of the U.N.'s Development Program building on Wednesday and demanded the United Nations pressure the government to award them severance.


Many of the men stripped down to their underwear and held up signs denouncing the government of Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo, but after two hours were removed, said a U.N. worker who declined to be named.


The fishermen were fired in 1992 by the administration of former President Alberto Fujimori, but they say the Toledo government has promised to award severance and benefits to the workers under a law passed in 2001.


"We had to do this because (Finance) Minister Pablo Pedro Kuczynski has not stayed true to his word," said Benigno Chirinos, secretary-general of the former PescaPeru workers, who said the government pledged to use money from a new tax on banking transactions for the payments.


Only a few police officers were guarding the U.N. building and were unable to stop the protesters, witnesses said.


The finance ministry declined to comment on the workers' demands.

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