Assassination in Nicaragua Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit source - kwald@california.com ******Urgent Action Alert******** Tuesday, April 9, 2002 Dear Friends and Supporters of Nicaragua: With sadness and a great sense of moral outrage we report that Francisco José García Valle, esteemed professor at the University of the Autonomous Regions of the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua and husband of Dr. María Luisa Acosta, internationally renowned indigenous human rights lawyer, was assassinated in his home on Monday night. At the time of his murder, his wife was meeting with the IFCO/Pastors for Peace Central American Caravan to Chiapas, Honduras and Nicaragua, which had been in the region for the last week and a half. Maria, who has received threats to her physical safety in the past because of her work advocating on behalf of indigenous communities fighting for their land and other basic human rights, was briefing the caravan on an important case that she is currently working on. Had she not been away from her home meeting with the caravan, she could have met with the same fate as her husband. Francisco Jose was found bound and gagged, shot in his heart. A police investigation is under way, however at this time, there is no information available about who is responsible for this heinous act. The caravan members were able to accompany Attorney Acosta today, but we remain extremely concerned about her continued safety given this violent attack against her immediate family. The caravan held a press conference Tuesday afternoon in Managua to call for the immediate apprehension of the assassins and for the guaranteed protection of Attorney Acosta and her family. IFCO/Pastors for Peace is urgently requesting that you communicate your concern to Nicaraguan President Enrique Bolaños, specifically calling to: 1. Express your outrage at the senseless murder of Francisco José García Valle and concern for the security of Maria Acosta and her family, who have been at the forefront of the struggle for indigenous rights in the region. 2. Demand that the security of Maria Acosta and her family be ensured by the government of Nicaragua and that a rigorous, stepped up investigation into the murder begin NOW. 3. Demand that the assassins be immediately apprehended and brought to justice. Please address your letters to President Enrique Bolaños to: The Nicaraguan Ambassador The Republic of Nicaragua 1627 New Hampshire Avenue, NW Washington DC 20009 Telephone: (202) 9396570 Fax: (202) 939-6574 More information as to where to send messages of condolence and solidarity, as well as future actions to take, will be available shortly. IFCO/Pastors for Peace 402 W 145th Street, New York City, NY 10031 212-926-5757; fax: 212-926-5842; email: ifco@igc.org; web: http://www.ifconews.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 ================================================================= nytcamer-04.11.02-13:35:23-29215