From: Andrew Lang <lang@igc.apc.org>
Subject: Amilcar Mendez-expected detention
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: ?
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 00:47:04 GMT

/* Written  1:57 pm  Nov 20, 1992 by ghrc@igc.apc.org in igc:carnet.alerts */
/* ---------- "Amilcar Mendez-expected detention" ---------- */
 
 
 
                  HUMAN RIGHTS ALERT
 
 
We have confirmed from reliable sources that Amilcar
Mendez Urizar, leader of the Council of Ethnic
Communities Runujel Junam and winner of the 1990 Robert
F. Kennedy Human Rights Award and the 1990 Carter-Menil
Human Rights Award, will be detained by the National
Police upon arrival in Guatemala City on Sunday,
November 22 at 6:35PM. 
 
There is a court order out for the arrest of Mr. Mendez
after the public testimony of one Quiche youth, Alberto
Calvo Gonzalez, who on October 23, claimed that Mr.
Mendez was producing bombs for the insurgent Guatemalan
National Revolutionary Unity (URNG).  The youth
denounced Mr. Mendez in Spanish though reportedly Calvo
Gonzalez only speaks Quiche.  Calvo Gonzalez was
presented to the court to make his statements
approximately 24 hours after he was taken by the
National Police on October 22, though Guatemalan law
claims that a person detained must be exhibited six
hours after his detention.  Mendez reported that Calvo
Gonzalez had been subject to psychological torture. 
 
Mendez will be accompanied to Guatemala by a United
States delegation which has been organized by the
Kennedy Center for Human Rights, including Kerry
Kennedy Cuomo, Director of the Kennedy Center for Human
Rights; Representative Peter Kostmayer;  Karl Rhodes,
Assistant to Representative Elliot Engels; Steven Kass,
Vice President of Americas Watch; Charles Norchi,
Lawyer and Director of the International League for
Human Rights; Felipe Gonzalez of the International
Human Rights Law Group and Alice Jay, delegate from the
Kennedy Center for Human Rights. 
 
The mission of the delegation is to:
 
Daccompany Mr. Mendez to Guatemala and act as an
international presence in the face of his probable
detention; 
 
Dattempt to demonstrate that the detention is not only
unjust but unnecessary as Mendez is returning in an
attempt to prove his innocence before Guatemalan
courts;
 
Dinvestigate this case and other similar cases wherein
Guatemalan government officials have accused Amilcar
Mendez and other human rights activists of following
the policies of the URNG.   [This tactic was blatantly
demonstrated last week when in referring to the
Guatemalan human rights activists participating in
GHRC/USA's November 13-15 Confronting the Heart of Darkness: An
International Symposium on Torture in Guatemala,
Minister of Defense, Jose Garcia Samayoa stated that he
"reserved the possiblity of bringing to trail the
supposed instruments of the insurgents."  Garcia
Samayoa expressly mentioned Amilcar Mendez, Factor
Mendez and Ronalth Ochaeta as following URNG proposals
and participating in a campaign to defame the
Guatemalan government.  President Serrano later upheld
the statements made by Garcia Samayoa. 
 
ACTIONS
 
DContact your Congresspeople and Senators today asking
them to send letters to President Serrano denouncing
the detention order for Amilcar Mendez;
 
DSend telexes and faxes immediately to President
Serrano stating that the international community is
vigilant, and will hold the Guatemalan government
responsible for the safety of Amilcar Mendez.
 
HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO REACT
IMMEDIATELY IF AMILCAR MENDEZ IS DETAINED BY SENDING
LETTERS, FAXES AND TELEXES TO THE GUATEMALAN
GOVERNMENT.
 
SEND TO:
 
S.E. Jorge Serrano Elias
Presidente de la Republica de Guatemala
Palacio Nacional
Guatemala, GUATEMALA
 
Telegrams: Presidente Serrano, Guatemala, Guatemala
Telephone: 011-502-2-21212, 011-502-2-22266
Faxes: 011-502-2-527472, 011-502-2-519702
Telexes: 305-5331 CAPRES GU
 
Gral. Jos Garc!a Samayoa
Ministro de Defensa
Ministerio de Defensa
Palacio Nacional
Guatemala, GUATEMALA
 
Telegrams: Ministro de Defensa, Guatemala, Guatemala
Telephone: 011-502-2-21212 ext. 743, 744; 011-502-2-
21904
Telexes: 305-536 COMGUA GU
 
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive