Guatemala Human Rights Update 14:9-20 May 2002 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit source - "Alice Zachmann" GUATEMALA HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION/USA *GUATEMALA HUMAN RIGHTS UPDATE -- VOL 14-NO 9* in this UPDATE... - threats force FAFG president to flee - human rights group threatened - Casa Alianza staff threatened - Menchu invites UN to help - more... CASE UPDATES OVALLE CASE: POLITICAL MOTIVES DEBATED RIGHTS ACTIVISTS INSIST MENCHU STAFFER MURDER IS POLITICAL 5/2/2 At the recent burial for Guillermo Ovalle, in Tacana, San Marcos, rights groups asserted that the murder of Ovalle, an accountant at the Rigoberta Menchu Foundation, was an extra-judicial execution. The Menchu Foundation promised to follow through on legal recourses to bring those responsible to justice. After hearing testimony from eyes witnesses, the Public Ministry reported it is treating the murder as a common crime. The National Civil Police (PNC) captured suspects Rene Barrios and Ever Lopez Gomez. Menchu believes that authorities would allow the case to remain in impunity. ORGANIZATIONS SEE OVALLE'S MURDER AS SYMBOL OF INCREASING VIOLENCE 5/2/02 Organizations such as the Mutual Support Group (GAM), the Guatemala Human Rights Commission and others have publicly condemned the recent murder of Menchu Foundation accountant Guillermo Ovalle, and noted that it is an example of increasing violence in Guatemala. The groups pointed out that Ovalle's murder came just one day before the continuation of the legal case against the Guatemalan military for massacres in Xaman, Coban, and Alta Verapaz, cases in which the Menchu Foundation has accompanied victims families. The Menchu Foundation will publicly go before a National Court in Spain, as part of a legal case they are bringing against perpetrators of genocide in Guatemala. MENCHU FOUNDATION DENOUNCES NEW THREATS 5/8/02 After the novena (9-day) religious memorial service for Guillermo Ovalle de Leon, who worked as an accountant for the Menchu Foundation, Gustavo Meono of the same organization, reported that they have received new threats against persons linked to the murder investigation. "There have been threats to persons who can give information to the Public Ministry," stated Meono. In a recently released report, the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA) expressed concern that the Menchu Foundation received anonymous calls playing funeral-like music only moments before the murder occurred. MINUGUA also reported that one of the key witnesses who has been cooperative in the murder investigation, received two threatening calls at his home on the night of May 1st. MINUGUA's concern extended to providing accompaniment to Nobel Laureate Rigoberta Menchu and to another Menchu Foundation staffer, during their recent travels. Meanwhile, the Guatemalan Public Ministry attorney assigned to this case, Maritza Juarez, contends that Ovalle's murder was motivated by a robbery attempt. JUDGE BELIEVES KILLING WAS NON-POLITICAL 5/9/02 Guatemalan Judge Victor Hugo Herrera Rios believes that the recent killing of Guillermo Ovalle, an accountant for the Rigoberta Menchu Foundation, was a homicide and not an assassination. Billy Rene Barrios and Ever Lopez Gomez, two of the murder suspects currently in custody, will be charged with homicide, because, according to the Judge, the case does not meet the legal requisites to be classified as an assassination. Guillermo Ovalle was shot and killed on April 29th, 2002 in Zone 1 of Guatemala City, Guatemala. FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF SISTER FORD'S DEATH 5/6/02 The Sisters of Charity from New York, and the Caritas staff from Guatemala's Quiche department commemorated the 1st anniversary of the death of Sister Barbara Ford, who was shot and killed on May 5, 2001 in Zone 9 of Guatemala City, Guatemala. The commemoration service took place on the shores of Lake Lemoa, where Ford had lived for several years. Members of the Sisters of Charity congregation, staff from the Myrna Mack Foundation and residents of various communities in the department attended. After a year, the crime has gone unresolved. Maria Ulrike Morselt, director of the Quiche Caritas, said that "we all live from Barbara's life and we are encouraged to keep working for the needy people, she is always present in us, although we are invaded by feelings of impotence, rage, and anger for not identifying those responsible for this act." Helen Mack, president of the Myrna Mack Foundation, stated that Ford's death is worrying and that the reigning impunity favors the murderers. However, she believes that her death has a special meaning, because like Myrna Mack, she gave her life to Guatemala. She added that the Foundation has requested a copy of Ford's file in order to make suggestions about the case's progress. Sister Virginia, who worked alongside Barbara Ford, and who acts as a co-plaintiff in the case, said that she has the support of the U.S. Embassy and the Myrna Mack Foundation and since there needs to be more investigation, they will continue to fight against impunity in order to honor Ford's memory. On May 6th, a monument in memory of Ford was placed in the Caritas offices. DOAN CASE: DEATH OF TRAFFICKER RELATED TO COCAINE THEFT 5/7/02 A source close to the the "El Gallito" drug cartel waited six days to report that Garcia Rodriguez, aka. "El Capo", and his bodyguards were ambushed by civilian-dressed police sent to kill them. This source reported that El Capo had purchased some of the cocaine stolen from the Department of Anti-Narcotics Operations (DOAN) warehouse. According to the source, the DOAN -a specialized division of Guatemala's National Civil Police (PNC) force - sent secret agents to kill Garcia Rodriguez so that he could not testify and reveal the identity of those DOAN leaders and officials who were behind the drug theft. The day of the shooting, seven people were killed, including Marioco, his bodyguards, and his neice, age 3. During the shoot-out, it appears that one of the hitmen was also shot, but his body was removed from the scene. The source alleged that the narco-traffickers managed to capture and kidnap one of the agents too. The source reported that those close to Marioco believe that those who killed him, also killed the head of the "El Gallito" drug cartel. Alejandro Munoz Pivaral, head of the Fiscalma against Narco-activity reported not knowing anything about this hypothesis, but could not rule it out as a possibility. The theft of the confiscated cocaine stolen from within a DOAN warehouse did not become public until March 26th, although it is believed that DOAN agents were stealing cocaine from the warehouse long before then. After the case of the stolen cocaine broke news, at least several DOAN agents were investigated, dismissed and transferred to other posts; one of those DOAN agents was shot and killed on May 2nd in San Miguel Petapa. DEATH THREATS FAFG PRESIDENT WILL LEAVE THE COUNTRY DUE TO THREATS 5/7/02 Freddy Peccerelli, president of the Guatemalan Anthropological Forensics Foundation (FAFG), will leave the country in the next few days. According to Peccerelli, he is leaving to teach courses, attend to business, and to wait until the climate of danger and threats against him lessens. Peccerelli heads an organization that, for several years, has been in charge of excavating to find the remains of those massacred during the civil war. During recent weeks, he and 11 other people from the FAFG have been targets of acts of intimidation. Jose Samuel Suasnavar, the Foundation's director, stated that they want to continue with their work, and that they wish it was their important work that was making headlines, instead of the news that they are receiving threats. IN BAJA VERAPAZ, MORE DEATH THREATS AGAINST HUMAN RIGHTS WORKERS 5/7/02 Activists from the Maya Achi Association for the Integral Development of the Victims of Violence in the Verapaces (ADIVIMA) reported that they are the target of a systematic wave of threats, which may be coming from paramilitary groups that continue to operate in the region. According to Juan de Dios Garcia, a member of the group (which provides accompaniment during exhumations and judicial processes against those involved in serious human rights violations), the death threats and attacks intensified from April 20th to May 5th, 2002, and at times were a daily occurrence. The threats consist of telephone calls in which an anonymous voice warns workers that if they continue with their work they will be eliminated, and funeral marches are played over office and personal telephones. They have fired into the houses of 2 directors that they have also been following, Garcia said. The human rights worker did not dismiss the possibility that these acts of intimidation come from former paramilitary groups that in the past terrorized the population of Baja Verapaz, and who currently are trying to prevent the investigation of the horrors they committed. Garcia related the threats to the exhumation processes that the organization has carried out since 1994 in coordination with the Guatemalan Association of Anthropological Forensics (FAFG) in various communities in Rabinal, as well as to their demands that those responsible for the massacres be investigated and punished for them. To date, ADIVIMA has carried out 19 exhumations in Rabinal communities, where they have found the remains of 706 people who were massacred by the army and paramilitary groups during the civil war. A study carried out by the group says that in that municipality there could be around 80 clandestine cemeteries. Despite the situation, Garcia added that they will continue with the exhumations, and reported that in May they plan to carry out at least 2 in the Vega Santo community, where 20 skeletons might be discovered. They will also excavate in an education center there, where, according to reports, the remains of 800 people might be found. On May 8th, members of the Association will appear before the Public Ministry of Salama to report the death threats. Garcia said that they will ask the Ministry to initiate a thorough investigation. FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS MOB KILLS 2 PEOPLE IN ALTA VERAPAZ 5/11/02 Geronimo Che (age 42) and Ricardo Chaman (age 21) were killed and Carmen Sequi and Miriam Che, Cheis wife and daughter, were beaten by a group of residents of the Agua Sucia community in Santa Catarina la Tinta, Alta Verapaz. Geronimo Che, tired of his neighbors' soccer ball hitting his door, decided to go out and take it; the furious men dragged him from his house and beat him until he died. Ricardo Chaman tried to intercede and help his friend, but was also killed. Che's wife and daughter were taken out of their house, and after beating them their neighbors poured gasoline on the house and lit it on fire. According to the police report, the agents are taking charge of finding those responsible for the 2 deaths in order to punish them appropriately. According to the information, Eduardo Chocoj Chaman and Florentina Chocoj Chaman are responsible for the murders; both are hospitalized and are subject to be tried for double homicide, along with Pedro Choc Pec and Alfonso Choc Rax who also took part in the attack. TWO CASA ALIANZA STAFF THREATENED AT GUNPOINT 5/12/02 (excerpted from Casa Alianza rapid-response) In separate incidents, the Director of Programs and the Coordinator of the Family Reintegration program of Casa Alianza Guatemala have been seriously threatened at gun point. These threats come on the tails of two yet to be resolved break-ins of Casa Alianza's offices in March 2002 and April 2001 in Guatemala City and a series of attacks against human rights organizations in Guatemala. On May 8th, 2002 at approximately 12:30pm, Mirza Juarez, the Coordinator of Casa Alianza's Family Reintegration program left the Casa Alianza office on foot walking down 4th Avenue towards 1st street in Zone 1 of Guatemala City together with a social worker. Two blocks down, a gold colored vehicle - which appears to have followed Mirsa and her colleague from the time they left the agency's office - pulled up alongside them and a man jumped out and pointing a black pistol at Mirza's face, said, "Solo quiero el cellular, damelo rapido" (I only want the cell phone, give it to me quickly". Mirza gave the man the phone and he jumped back in the vehicle and sped off. According to the police, the license plate, P-224278, does not correspond to the vehicle. We are not sure if Mirza was able to recall the correct license plate in a state of shock or if it was a false license plate. The attacker, who seemed to be under the effect of drugs or alcohol, had several scars on his face and his hand was bandaged. Whilst this incident could merely be a "simple" theft, it is also a coincidence that a similar modus operandi was recently used against a worker from the Archbishop's Human Rights Office in Guatemala. Leonel Dubon, Coordinator of Casa Alianza's programs in Guatemala, has been the victim of a series of intimidations in the past three months. Starting on February 15th, 2002, Leonel has received a series of anonymous threats and insults on his cell phone. The most recent caller stated, "Que tengas cuidado hijo de puta, te vamos a callar" (You had better take care you son of a bitch, we are going to shut you up) and then hung up. Soon after, the staff of the boy's Crisis Center called Leonel, warning him that two unknown men had arrived there looking for him late at night. On April 16th, 2002, at approximately 11:55pm, when Leonel was at home, at least one person started banging on the front door of his house and called out "Leonel Dubon" and fired three shots in the air. Leonel immediately called the police at 110 and the operator said that he should wait about 20 minutes in the street for a patrol car to arrive. Leonel stayed in his house and the police car never arrived. On April 18th, 2002 at approximately 11:20pm, Leonel was driving from Amatitlan to his house in Guatemala City when his brother called him saying that he should be careful as an unidentified man was firing shots in front of his house. On May 9th, 2002, at approximately 9:20pm, Leonel was again in his house when someone started to seemingly try and kick down his front door. He heard people run away and looked outside and saw two men dressed in black, running down the street to the next corner. They stopped and, from a distance, summoned Leonel towards them. Obviously he did not go. He immediately called the police but they never arrived. Casa Alianza takes these threats against Leonel very seriously and considers them to be related to his work with Casa Alianza. All the incidents have been reported to the police and the Special Prosecutor's Office but, to date, there has been no investigation of which Casa Alianza is aware. Casa Alianza has issued a call for action in response to these two cases. To follow-up and for more information: www.casa-alianza.org. RIGHTS OF THE CHILD ILO REPORTS THAT 33% OF GUATEMALAN CHILDREN WORK 5/7/02 In Latin America, 17.4 million children between the ages of 5 and 17 have to work in order to contribute to their family income. It is estimated that there are 180 million - 1 out of 8-children that work in the world. According to a study presented this week by the International Labor Organization (ILO), 147,000 Costa Rican children (15% of the population of children) work in agriculture, fishing, street sales, and child prostitution. This percentage increased by 8% from the total of child workers in 1993, and it seems that the numbers will keep growing. In Costa Rica, children make up 13% of the work force, although they only receive 37% of the legal minimum wage, which means cheap and exploited labor for employers. According to the report, 17% of children in El Salvador, 21% in Honduras, and 33% in Guatemala have to work to help support their families. More than half of these children work in agriculture. Bruce Harris, from Casa Alianza, a children's rights organization, stated that if the world's labor force is not better educated and trained, the productive capacity will be less. He emphasized that businessmen and political leaders would have more profit if they supported initiatives that took children out of jobs and put them into the classrooms. On May 2nd, a network of organizations that work for child workers' rights set up a photo exhibit in a Guatemalan public venue, with the goal of raising people's awareness about the harm suffered by children that are involved in high risk activities. LABOR RIGHTS PEASANTS CLAIM 4 YEARS BACK WAGES 5/9/02 On May 7th, peasants who worked on the Cecilia plantation in Mazatenango, Suchitepequez occupied the departmental government's headquarters in order to demand their back wages. Baudilio Reyes, leader of the former workers' union, stated on May 8th that the owners of the plantation had not paid them for 4 years and therefore the workers asked the departmental governor, Fernando Tercero Muxi, to intervene. The governor reported that the peasants did not succeed in getting all of their benefits paid, due to the refusal of the businessmen that left the meeting without reaching an agreement. Senayda Gramajo, one of the affected workers, said that one of the labor inspectors does not listen to them and does more for the plantation owners than for them. LAND RIGHTS PEASANTS OCCUPY PLANTATION 5/3/02 Residents from Covadonga and Sepacay in Alta Verapaz, occupied a coffee plantation in El Salto; this is the 52nd occupied plantation. Juan Tiney, a leader of the National Peasant Coordinating Committee (CONIC), emphasized that this decision was made by communities, because, despite years of negotiations with plantation owners, there continue to be outstanding wages for workers. PORTILLO DISTRIBUTES LAND TITLES 5/6/02 In the late 1950s, more than 300 families settled in an area known as the La Palma plantation in Zone 5 of Guatemala City. On May 5th, in a public presentation held at the National Youth Institute, Guatemalan President Alfonso Portillo symbolically presented 562 land titles to families in that area. During that same presentation, 322 families received documentation of their land in El Mezquital, reconstructed after the 1976 earthquake; as well in the Renacimiento Municipal settlement, in Zone 18. FOX GIVES LAND TITLES TO GUATEMALANS 5/10/02 Mexican president Vicente Fox, gave land titles to 2,800 Guatemalan families who became nationalized Mexicans in the state of Campeche. The Guatemalan-native families will receive legal recognition and documentation for the parcels of land where the refugee camps were located, nearly 20 years ago, when Guatemalan refugees spilled over the border, escaping violence of the civil war. Fox said, "the handing over of these land titles is an act of justice." PEASANT ORGANIZATIONS CALL UPON GOVERNMENT IN AGRARIAN SITUATION 5/11/02 On May 10th, peasant organizations called upon the government to resolve the country's agrarian problems with a 75-day deadline. If it does not, they will take countermeasures, such as a protest march. The requirement was set during the meeting between peasant leaders and members of the High Level Presidential Commission created to find a solution for the land problem. The meeting lasted more than 4 hours. Pedro Esquina, a leader of the National Indigenous and Peasant Coordinating Committee (CONIC), said that in 75 days the government should find solutions to the problem of land-holding and the leave their pretexts to the side. The peasant leader warned that if, at the end of the time limit, President Alfonso Portillo and his team had not attended to the organizations' demands, there will be a national march on the capital. Juan Tiney, another CONIC leader, stated that the government has given many excuses for not solving the agrarian problem, which has caused peasant groups to occupy some 52 state and private plantations. Pedro Palma Lau, head of the recently created Secretariat of Agrarian Affairs, said that a roundtable for dialog has been established in order to reach a consensus on the proposals that have been made regarding rural development. "The most important thing in this problem is the dialog, in order to look for ways out of it and come to a consensus," Palma Lau said, after explaining that the agrarian problem has historic roots and that a solution requires the support of all sectors of the population. Sergio Funes, head of the Land Fund (FONTIERRAS) agreed with Palma Lau by saying that dialog is the only way to find a solution. He explained that 1,800 million quetzals are needed to buy 525 plantations and satisfy the needs of 35,000 peasant families. However, FONTIERRAS does not have the necessary resources. The high level commission was not able to reach a consensus, and after more than 4 hours of discussion, the governmental representatives and the peasant leaders did not reach important agreements. According to reports from CONIC and the Secretariat of Agrarian Affairs, there are currently 52 occupied plantations; 19 of them have been occupied since last month. HEALTH RIGHTS MP INITIATES LEGAL INVESTIGATION INTO MAYOR FOR WATER CONTAMINATION 5/8/02 Mynor Rodrigo Santizo Claveria, Guatemalan mayor of Escuintla, is being investigated by Guatemala's Public Ministry (MP) for crimes related to fecal contamination of a water source used for human consumption. Guatemalan daily newspaper, el Periodico, published information that relates to the Department of Regulation of Health and Environment Programs (DRPSA) report on water contaminated with fecal matter. The Guatemalan departments of Guatemala, Chimaltenango, Jalapa, Petin, Santa Rosa and Huehuetenango, out of 10 monitored by DRPSA, recorded 179 contaminated systems. Each system is a network that distributes water to groups of between 500 and 30,000 people. Santizo Claveria, of the Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG) party, is the first in a list of 73 mayors that have not completed their duties to distribute chlorinated water to residents. RIGHTS TO A CLEAN AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FIRES REPORTED IN THE MAYAN BIOSPHERE 5/5/02 The Peten departmental government has recorded least 10 forest fires in protected areas in Guatemala's Peten region. They have already affected 15 plots of forest sites in the Mayan Biosphere, according to Adan Regalado, the official in charge of controlling the fires. The affected areas are located in the San Roman Biological Reserve in Sayaxche and in the Laguna del Tigre National Park in the San Andres municipality. There have also been fires in protected forests in the La Libertad and San Benito municipalities. Regalado reported that there are 4 fires still burning, that are being controlled by at least 1,000 people. The governor stated that the majority of forest fires are caused by agricultural burning, but Javier Lopez Marroquin, the mayor of San Benito, said that the forest fires in his jurisdiction were caused by criminal acts. At present, at least 10,000 saplings planted by the residents of the La Cobanerita community for a reforestation plan have been lost. 2,500 forest fires have destroyed one-fifth of the country's forest, according to statistics from the National Forest Institute (INAP) that include data up to May 2001. The Peten Department has been the most affected: in 1998 alone, more that 670,000 hectares of forests were burned down. In 1999, with more control over forest fires, the damage only amounted to 11,000 hectares. In 2000, 33,000 hectares burned down, while in May 2001, more than 21,000 hectares were lost. GOVERNMENT CEDES LAKE TO OIL EXPLOITATION 5/13/02 On August 10th, 2001, Guatemalan president Alfonso Portillo and vice-president Juan Francisco Reyes Lopez signed an agreement authorizing the Petrolera del Atlantico, S.A. company to explore and exploit petroleum and gas in an area roughly 127,830 hectares, or about 60% of the Izabal Lake. According to Guatemalan daily newspaper, el Periodico, the documents of the agreement raise some legal questions, particularly on behalf of the Atlantico company. Petrolera del Atlantico, S.A. belongs to Ramsn Campollo Codina, one of Guatemala's most powerful men. REQUEST FOR GUATEMALA TO REMAIN FREE OF OIL ACTIVITY 5/11/02 On May 10th, the environmentalist organization Mother Jungle Collective (Colectivo Madre Selva) asked Guatemalan President Alfonso Portillo to follow the example of Costa Rican President Abel Pacheco, who is honoring his promise to keep his country free from oil activity. The Costa Rican Ministry of the Environment denied authorization for an oil exploration project to the U.S. company Harken Energy. The project would have taken place on the Caribbean coast of the country. Although in his 1999 propaganda campaign Portillo stated that he would be remembered for his actions in favor of the environment, in August 2001, he authorized road construction in the Lake Izabal and Rio Dulce regions for the exploration and exploitation of petroleum. PEACE ACCORDS MINUGUA REPORTS LITTLE PROGRESS IN EDUCATION 4/30/02 The United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA) report "Education: a Condition for Peace" stated that since the signing of the Peace Accords, there has been insufficient progress in education and that Guatemala has one of the lowest education levels in all Latin America. The report, which will be released in 4 Mayan languages, indicates that illiteracy and low primary school attendance, especially among the indigenous populations, continues to be of great concern. The Mission has seen little progress regarding the Peace Accord points that have to do with education. Thierry Delrue, chief of the Mission's Socioeconomic, Resettlement and Incorporation Aspects Area stated that this is not due to lack of capability, but rather the lack of political will on the part of the government. The study also found that displaced populations, despite having been the subject of a specific accord, are not represented in the implementation of the different national education programs. And while civil education programs are of vital importance in a post-war society with a deeply-rooted culture of violence, they do not provide national coverage, which contradicts the Peace Accords and the Historical Clarification Commission (CEH) recommendations. Gerd Merrem, head of the Mission, believes that education is an indispensable requirement in the struggle against poverty and the search for the common good and should be independent of people's origin or social class. Merrem emphasized that the majority of those excluded from educational services are indigenous; therefore it is necessary to make an additional effort so that they will be able to become part of the economic development of the country. He also said that it is necessary for Guatemala to progress in the consolidation of a democratic and participatory state that reflects its cultural, ethnic, and linguistic diversity. According to the head of MINUGUA, bilingual education should become a state policy, and multiculturism should be promoted, not just in at the classroom level but in the hightest levels of governmental policy as well. He added that Guatemala should pursue a public education model that is democratic, united, and respectful of differences, that opens the doors to the culture of diversity and that allows everyone to improve their quality of life. Due to the lack of progress, MINUGUA recommended the implementation of educational reform, the improvement of the organization and delivery of incentives for poor students (such as scholarships, breakfasts and lunches), guaranteed bilingual and intercultural education, and the reduction of illiteracy among other items. The report "Education: a Condition for Peace" can be found on MINUGUA's website at http://www.minugua.guate.net. MORE INFORMATION MENCHU WILL ASK UN FOR A HUMAN RIGHTS RAPPORTEUR 5/3/02 Due to the lack of safety, the constant threats and acts of intimidation against human rights activists, and the recent murder of an employee of the Rigoberta Menchu Foundation, the Nobel laureate Menchu will ask the United Nations to designate a special rapporteur for Guatemala. "We are going to call upon all the human rights organizations at the international level, so that we can work together and Guatemala can return to the United Nations Human Rights Commission agenda," Menchu said in a press conference. She stated that in 1995, when peace was negotiated, and in 1996, when the Peace Accords were signed, the international community believed that the Human Rights Commission no longer had to observe the situation in Guatemala. "Many of us were not in agreement with that measure, we said it was very early for the commission to take Guatemala off its agenda; today history proves we were right," the indigenous leader declared. Menchu's announcement was praised by 102 organizations that make up the National Human Rights Movement, which held a demonstration before the Presidential residence on May 3rd. On May 3rd, the visit of Hina Jilani, special representative from the UN Secretary General for the protection of human rights workers, was confirmed. She will be in the country from May 27th - June 1st to investigate the threats, attacks, and murders of human rights activists. MARCH SUPPORTS THREATENED PARISH 5/9/02 Thousands of Guatemalans from municipalities in Nebaj, Quiche turned out to support and show solidarity to the local Catholic Parish which was recently burned down on February 21st. Rigoberto Pirez, a parishioner from Santa Maria Nebaj, stated that after the fire, he received support from human rights national and international organizations, which have helped to inspire him to keep working. Perez stated that the messages of solidarity from around the world helped to stop the threats and intimidations that they received after the fire. SPECIAL URGENT ACTION APPEAL STOP ACTION 5/13/02 (excerpted from Amnesty International) Further information on UA 115/02 issued 16 April 2002 - Fear for safety. GUATEMALA: David Hererra (m), journalist David Hererra is now safely in exile abroad. He had been abducted by gunmen on 10 April, but managed to escape. The abduction appears to have been linked to his work helping foreign journalists coming to the country to investigate human rights abuses. No further action by the UA Network is requested. Many thanks to all those who have sent appeals. For more information: Urgent Action Network Amnesty International USA PO Box 1270 Nederland CO 80466-1270 Email: uan@aiusa.org http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/ Phone: 303 258 1170 Fax: 303 258 7881 *Dates written before the text indicate the dates these incidents were reported. The Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, humanitarian organization that monitors the human rights situation in Guatemala. Information in the Update that is not gathered directly is culled from various sources, including the Guatemalan Human Rights Commission (CDHG), Casa Alianza, Amnesty International, Associated Press, Reuters and the Guatemalan Press, including Prensa Libre, La Hora, Guatemala Hoy, Siglo Veintiuno, and Patrullaje Informativo. Editors: J.C. Santelices and Alice Zachmann; additional translation: Helen Winder ISSN #1085-0864 DONATIONS TO HELP COVER OUR COSTS ARE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU! FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO RECEIVE, PLEASE CONTACT: GUATEMALA HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION/USA 3321 12TH STREET, NE WASHINGTON, D.C. 20017 T: 202-529-6599 F: 202-526-4611 ghrc-usa@ghrc-usa.org http://www.ghrc-usa.org ================================================================= 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 ================================================================= nytact-05.20.02-20:46:05-19997