From: hrcoord@igc.apc.org (Human Rights Coordinator)
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Subject: Guat & Colom: Urgent Alert
Date: 21 Jan 93 18:41:00 GMT
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1476701010:000:10569
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!hrcoord    Jan 21 10:41:00 1993


From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: Guat & Colom: Urgent Alert

/* Written  2:27 pm  Jan 21, 1993 by geonet@gn.apc.org in igc:omct.sostortur */

Case GTM 210193
The International Secretariat of OMCT/SOS-Torture calls upon you to
intervene on behalf of the following situation in Guatemala.
Brief description of the situation:
The Comision de Derechos Humanos de Guatemala, a member of our
network, has expressed its concern at the persistence of human rights
violations in Guatemala where the situation remains tense with a high
incidence of summary executions, death threats, intimidation and
other human rights violations.  In particular the following incidents
have been brought to our attention:
1/   The press has revealed that the repatriation of refugees from
Mexico is being put in jeopardy by the dual policy being adopted by
the government which allegedly claims that among the returnees are
members of the "guerrilla" whom the government is reportedly
threatening to arrest.
2/   Death threats: In the early morning of 31 December 1992, in
Teculutan, Department of Zacapa, the home of Cesar Augusto PAIZ, a
delegate of the National Liberation Movement was machine-gunned by
unknown individuals.  According to the information, the victim had
already been receiving death threats prior to the incident.
In the night of 6 January 1993, unidentified individuals travelling
in a motor vehicle attacked the home of Mr. Miguel Angel MONTEPEQUE
situated in 13th Street, 3-29 Zone 3, Guatemala City.  During the
attack in which a number of windows were broken, Angelica Montepeque,
his daughter escaped injury.  Two days prior to the incident Miguel
Angel MONTEPEQUE had informed the press that he had gathered
sufficient proof to bring a lawsuit against the President, Serrano
El!as and other government officials for corruption.
3/   Summary Executions: On 3 December 1992, Mr. Jose de Jesus
Bamaca, aged 34, was executed by several unidentified individuals in
the Municipality of El Quetzal in the Department of San Marco.  The
body was discovered bearing signs of blows and wounds in the head,
neck and abdomen caused by stones and glass containers.
On 3 January 1993, the body of Mr. Walter Erasmo Flores ORELLANA,
aged 32, the Assistant Director of the Immovable Property Register of
Quetzaltenango, was found in the Canton of Pacaja, Zone 10
Quetzaltenango City.  The head had been smashed by six bullets and
various parts of the body showed signs of blows.
On 3 January 1993, the remains of Mr. Miguel Osorio LOPEZ were
exhumed in the Village of Lemos, Department of El Quiche and were
identified by his widow. Mr. Miguel Osorio LOPEZ had been a victim of
army repression in 1982.
3/   Repression of journalists and attacks against the press: On 3
January 1993, in Zone 7 of Guatemala City, the home of the journalist
Hugo GORDILLO, the editor of the Prensa Libre, was entered by
unidentified individuals who took objects of no value.  According to
the information, the victim believes that this was an act of
intimidation which follows numerous recent acts of repression carried
out against the Guatemalan press.
On 5 January 1993, the installations of the newspaper Tinamit, in San
Lucas Sacapetequez, some 28 km from Guatemala City, was once again
the target of an incendiary attack.  According to the information
received, it is believed that this attack is part of government and
army repression of the National Press. Mr. Otto Moran, the owner of
the newspaper reported that the damage was minimal.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities in Guatemala to demand that they take
all measures in their power to put an end to the harassment and
intimidation of the press and trade union organisations and to
guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of their members
at all times.  In particular insist that they ensure the personal
safety and physical and psychological integrity of Cesar Augusto PAIZ
and Miguel Angel MONTEPEQUE. Insist that they open a thorough and
impartial inquiry into all the reported incidents of intimidation,
harassment and summary executions in order to identify those
responsible and punish them in accordance with the law. Urge them
also to ensure the physical and psychological integrity of the all
refugees returning from Mexico. Insist that they ensure the respect
for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country at all times
in accordance with international standards.
Please inform the authorities in your respective countries, the UN,
the OAS, the European Community and other inter-governmental and
non-governmental organisations, urging them to intervene so that
appropriate measures are adopted both at a national and international
level to put an end to human rights violations in Guatemala and to
ensure the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the
country at all times, in accordance with international standards.
Addresses:
S.E. Jorge Serrano Elias, Presidente de la Republica, Palacio
Nacional, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala.  Tel.: (5022) 21212 o 22266
Telex 5331 CAPRES GU   Fax (5022) 537472  //  Lic. Ramiro de Leon
Carpio, Procurador de Derechos Humanos, Avenida Simeon Canas 10-61,
Zona 2, Ciudad Guatemala, Guatemala.  //  Sra. Ana Catalina Soberanis
Reyes, Presidente del Congreso de la Republica, Ciudad de Guatemala,
Guatemala.  //  Lic. Fernando Hurtado Prem, Ministro del Interior,
Despacho Ministerial, Of. No. 8, Primer Nivel, Palacio Nacional,
Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala. Telex 5085 MINGOB GU,   Fax (5022)
518105   Tel.: (5022) 21212 ext. 500.  //  Gral. Domingo Garcia
Samayoa, Ministro de Defensa, Palacio Nacional, Ciudad de Guatemala,
Guatemala. Fax (5022) 5237472-Telex 5331 COMGUA GU  //  Lic. Jose
Maria Menendez Garcia, Director General de la Policia Nacional,
Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala.
Geneva, 21 January 1993
Please inform us of any action undertaken, (kindly quote the code
number of our appeal in any related correspondence).

Case COL 210193
The International Secretariat of OMCT/SOS-Torture calls upon you to
intervene on behalf of the following situation in Colombia.
Brief description of the situation:
The Central Unitaria de Trabajadores de Colombia (CUT), a member of
the network of SOS-Torture, has voiced its concern over the
persistence of intimidation campaigns against workers and trade
unions and has brought the following incident to our attention.
On 8 January 1993, Mr. Nicomedes GUTIERREZ, aged 34, an employee of
The Colombian Petroleum Undertaking (ECOPETROL), a member of the
Union Sindical Obrera (USO), an affiliate of the CUT, was shot dead
in Barrancabermeja, a petroleum port some 500 miles from Bogot.  The
death of Mr. GUTIERREZ brings to 50 the number of USO workers killed
over the last five years, not to mention the 33 leaders of the
organisation who have had to take refuge in other parts of the
country on account of repeated threats and attacks.
The death of Mr. Nicomedes GUTIERREZ coincides with other reports of
threats made against other leaders of the USO, which have intensified
since 12 January 1993, the date on which ECOPETROL presented a list
of claims for negotiation to the government.
Action requested:
Please  write to the Colombian authorities to demand that they take
all measures in their power to put an end to the harassment and
intimidation of workers and trade unionists and to guarantee the
respect for their physical and psychological integrity at all times.
Insist that they open a thorough and impartial inquiry into the death
of Mr. Nicomedes GUTIERREZ in order to identify those responsible and
punish them in accordance with the law. Demand that they ensure the
respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country at
all times in accordance with international standards.
Addresses:
S.E. Cesar Gaviria Trujillo, Presidente de la Republica de Colombia,
Palacio de Narino, Bogota, Colombia. Fax + 2867434  //  Dr. Carlos
Gustavo Arrieta, Procurador General de la Nacion, Carrera 5 No.
15-15, Bogota, Colombia.   Fax + 2840472  //  Dr. Jaime Cordoba
Trivino, Defensor del Pueblo, Carrera 5 No. 15-15, Bogota, Colombia.
//  Dr. Rafael Pardo Rueda, Minisitro de Defensa Nacional, Avenida El
Dorado, Carrera 52, Bogota, Colombia.
Geneva, 21 January 1993
Please inform us of any action undertaken, (kindly quote the code
number of our appeal in any related correspondence).

Case CUB 240192.3
Follow-up of Case CUB 240192.B
Dated 1 October 1992

The International Secretariat of OMCT/SOS-Torture has just received
fresh information about the situation of Mr. Sebastian ARCOS BERGNES,
on whose behalf we asked you to intervene in our appeal CUB 240192.B
dated 1 October 1992.
Brief reminder of the situation:
In the above appeal we informed you that according to information
received from the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
(ICFTU), a member of our network, Mr. Sebastian ARCOS BERGNES, the
Secretary General of the Cuban Committee for Human Rights, who had
been detained on 15 January 1992, was due to be brought to trial on
or about 5 October 1992.  Mr. Sebastian ARCOS BERGNES was charged
with "enemy propaganda and contempt" and accused of having
transmitted information abroad in which he gave the names of people
who had taken part in anti-dissident demonstrations.
In this appeal we also drew attention to the fact that the judge
trying the case had requested a sentence of 7 years imprisonment.
Recent information:
According to the most recent information, Mr. Sebastian ARCOS BERGNES
was sentenced to four years and 8 months in prison.
Remarks:
Given the circumstances surrounding the arrest and trial of Mr.
Sebastian ARCOS BERGNES, and the continuous harassment of members of
his family, it is to be feared that his trial was not totally
impartial.  Indeed, according to the information we have received,
requests from foreign observers to monitor the trial were refused.
Furthermore, on 10 December 1992, the house of his brother, Mr.
Gustav Arcos Bergnes, who has also reportedly suffered prolonged and
serious persecution for his activities in favour of human rights (See
our appeal CUB 240192), was surrounded by para-military police.   All
this leads us to fear for his personal safety, therefore, we call
upon you to write immediately to the Cuban authorities to demand that
they release him immediately and guarantee his physical and
psychological integrity at all times. Demand that they ensure the
respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country at
all times.
Geneva, 19 January 1993
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