FDNG LEADER ASSASSINATED, DIRIGENTE DEL FDNG FUE ASESINADO Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit source - ghrc@igc.org URGENT ACTION Information from the Mutual Support Group (GAM) FDNG LEADER ASSASSINATED ROBERTO BELARIMINO GONZALEZ ARIAS was assassinated at 9:00 am on May 13, 1999. He had held the position of Joint Secretary General of the Metropolitan Executive Committee of the New Guatemalan Democratic Front (FDNG) since December of 1998, and had been working on organizing squatters in various areas of Guatemala City, particularly in zone 7. Gonzalez Arias was leaving his home, accompanied by more than ten people, when four heavliy armed men driving a white pick-up truck got out and shot him at least seven times. BELGICA CONTRERAS, one of the individuals accompanying Gonzalez Arias, was injured as well and remains in critical condition in the general hospital in zone 1. The assassination of this high ranking left-wing political leader follows a series of death threats against others FDNG leaders in the port of San Jose and in Iztapa, as well as the recent disappearance on April 21 of CARLOS COC RAX, a leader in El Estor, Izabal (see GHRC/USA UPDATE #8, 1999). Threats, the disappearance of a leader and the assassination of another, are all part of attacks that the FDNG have been the targets of throughout the year, and the reason that the Mutual Support Group (GAM) demands that authorities begin investigations into the case as soon as possible so that those responsible can be brought to justice swiftly. Otherwise other social and left-wing leaders may become the target of intimidations or other such crimes. It is necessary for there to be justice. Please contact U.S. and Guatemalan authorities to express your concern and the need for Guatemalan authorities to take appropriate and effective action to guarantee the safety of other leaders, conduct a search for Carlos Coc Rax and conduct an investigation into the assassination of Roberto Belarimino Gonzalez Arias. Ambassador William Howard Stixrud Embassy of Guatemala 2220 R St NW, Washington DC 20008 Phone: 202-745-4952 (leave a message if Ambassador is not available) Fax: 202-745-1908 Elise Kleinwaks: phone: 202-647-3559 Fax: 647-2597 Debra Hevia: 202-647-3727 Guatemala Desk Department of State Ambassador William Howard Stixrud Embassy of Guatemala 2220 R St NW, Washington DC 20008 Phone: 202-745-4952 Fax: 202-745-1908 e-mail: embaguat@sysnet.net Ambassador Donald Planty US Embassy in Guatemala Phone: 011 502-331-1541 Fax: 011 502 331 0564 President of the Republic of Guatemala President Alvaro Arzu Palacio Nacional 6a Calle y 7a Avenida, Zona 1 Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA fax: 011 502 221 4537 or 230 1508 e-mail: alvaroarzu@guate.net or alvaroarzu@guateconnect.com Telegrams: Presidente, Guatemala, Guatemala ACCION URGENTE ROBERTO BELARIMINO GOZALEZ ARIAS Secretario General Adjunto del Comiti Ejecutivo Metropolitano del Frente Democratico Nueva Guatemala, fue asesinado a las 9:00 horas del dma 13 de mayo de 1999. Ocupaba iste cargo desde el pasado 13 de diciembre, habiendo desempeqado sus labores organizando pobladores en distintas colonias de la ciudad de Guatemala, particularmente en la zona 7. Los hechos ocurrieron luego de que salis de su casa, habiindose reunido con 10 personas mas, cuando 4 hombres fuertemente armados que se transportaban en un pick up blanco, descendieron del mismo, habiindole disparado a quemarropa en por lo menos 7 ocasiones en distintas partes del cuerpo, lo que le causs la muerte. En el incidente resulto herida Bilgica Contreras, una de las personas que lo acompaqaba, quien se encuentra en estado grave en el hospital general en la zona central. El asesinato de iste alto dirigente polmtico de la izquierda viene a sumarse a amenazas de muerte que ha venido sufriendo la dirigencia del FDNG en el puerto de San Josi y en Iztapa al sur de la ciudad de Guatemala y de la desaparicisn de Carlos Coc Rax, quien es dirigente en El Estor, Izabal al Nororiente de la ciudad capital. Carlos Coc Rax se encuentra desaparecido desde el pasado 21 de abril, sin que hasta el momento se tenga conocimiento de su paradero, por lo que se teme que corra peligro en su integridad fmsica. Amenazas, desaparicisn de un dirigente y asesinato de otro, son parte de los ataques que el FDNG ha venido sufriendo a lo largo del presente aqo, razsn por la cual el GRUPO DE APOYO MUTUO demanda que las autoridades inicien las investigaciones del caso a la mayor brevedad posible, para dar con los responsables. Sm no se sienta un precedente en iste crimen, es probable que a lo largo del presente aqo otros dirigentes sociales o de la izquierda sufran intimidaciones o se repitan hechos lamentables. Es necesario entonces que se haga justicia. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytcamer-05.14.99-20:13:29-23036