From: Andrew Lang <lang@igc.apc.org>
Subject: Agression guatemalan journalists
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: ?
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 23:50:10 GMT

/* Written  7:14 pm  Jan 11, 1993 by codehuca@nicarao.apc.org in igc:carnet.alerts */
/* ---------- "Agression guatemalan journalists" ---------- */
ACUR 2                             COUNTRY: GUATEMALA
SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA               CASE   : C 93-2/G 1
JANUARY 11, 1993

          AGGRESSION AGAINST GUATEMALAN JOURNALISTS AND
             VIOLATION OF RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH

     The Commission for the Defense of Human Rights in Central
America (CODEHUCA), regional organization with Consultive Status
Category II in the United Nations, informs the media and the
Solidarity Network that it received information from the National
Counsel for the Defense of Journalists (CNDHP), the Guatemalan
Human Rights Commission (CDHG) and the press agency CERIGUA on
violent acts and threats against journalists and the media by
President Jorge Serrano El!as and several government organisms.

     According to the information given by members of the CNDHP
there exists a confrontation between President Serrano El!as and
the press in Guatemala, that has deepened since Octobre 1992, due
to the fact that the President in several official speeches stated
that human rights are not violated in Guatemala and that it is the
press and the human rights organizations that act "as destabelizers
of the government". Contrary to the official position, journalists
do investigate violations and publish them in their media.

     CODEHUCA considers that this situation shows systematic
aggression against those who inform about violations, which we will
explain below.

     On September 9 1992, the reporter of the Diario Prensa Libre,
LUIS TAX, received a death threat. Four men came to his house in
Totonicap n with the objective to intimidate him, but as he was not
home, they told his family "that he had to be careful as they were
going to take the law into their own hands".

     On October 5 1992 a bomb exploded in the offices of the
"Tinamit" magazine, located on 14th Street 14-05, 5th Zone
Guatemala City. HUGO ARCE, journalist at this magazine, reported
that 8 days earlier he had received death threats by telephone. Mr.
Arce also said that the attack is part of other intimidation
attempts against free broadcasting that comes from the repressive
forces that operate in the country.

     On December 4 1992, OMAR CANO HERRERA, journalist at the Siglo
XXI newspaper, investigated the excessive tree cutting at the
Bi"sfera Maya reserve in Paso Caballos in the Petn. He was
assaulted in this reserve by wood smugglers who received help by
military elements.

     The journalist was accompanied by three agents of the Estate
Police, two tecnicians of the National Counsel for Protected Areas
(CONAP) and an antropologist/supervisor who were captured and
beaten as well by the soldiers and the lumberers. During their trip
the policemen captured 4 lumberers, but when they arrived at Paso
Caballos they found a large lumbercamp where they were intercepted
by the military who captured the policemen and the CONAP supervisor
after which they were beaten.

     Mr. Cano and the tecnician hide themselves in a house but left
it again as they were afraid to be found and hide in a swamp. They
stayed there the entire night. The next day they left their refuge
and were captured and severly beaten. They were threatened and were
told "they had reached their end". Afterwards they were taken to a
military detachment in Santa Elena.

     On December 13 1992, day of the Military Forces in Guatemala,
President Serrano El!a attacked the media in a speech at a national
network.

     On December 15 1992 an anonymous note appeared that announced
a counterinsurgency campaign and that several journalist were going
to be eliminated proximitely.

     On December 22 1992 a bomb exploded in front of the office of
the Channel 7 network and the independent radiostation Radio
Sonora, which are located in Zone 15 of Guatemala City. The night
before a more powerful bomb was detonated in front of the National
Journalist Association. Recently the journalist AXEL JOCON had to
leave the country as his life was threatened.

     The CNDHP, an organization integrated by journalistic union
organizations, requested the Human Rights Ombudsman, mr. Ramiro de
Le"n Carpio, to investigate the recent repression against
journalists and the media. One of the cases requested to be
investigated is the aggression against ALFREDO TORRES who was
attacked by three members of the Army Staff and was shot in the
head.

     CODEHUCA considers that in Guatemala the human rights of the
civil population are systematically violated and that the
aggression against journalists and the media is due to the fact
that the government wants to hide what is happening in the country
and to prevent that the international community receives the
denunciations made by human rights organizations and the national
and international press.

     The Guatemalan government, by attacking journalist to stop
them reporting is flagrantly violating individual rights confirmed
by the American Convention of Human Rights and violates the
articles 13 and 16 related to the freedom of thought and speech and
the freedom of association stated by the same Convention.

     CODEHUCA considers that journalist have a right to inform the
public and therefore their information should contribute with its
imparciality, truthfulness and modesty so that the truth of the
acts will be made public according to the right that society should
be appropriately informed on what is happening. Journalists and
press collectives in Guatemala have made a contribution to open up
political and democratic working space in spite of personal
security. According to the information we received from CNDHP,
since 1978 50 social informers(?) / journalists have been
assassinated and 75 left the country to save their life and that of
their family.

     Therefore, we request the Solidarity Network to:
1.   Send protest letters to the government of President Serrano
     El!as demanding full respect for the rights of journalists and
     the media.

2.   Demand an investigation into the reported cases and that those
     responsible for these unlawful acts are lead before the
     corresponding courts.

Please send your messages to:

Ing. Jorge Serrano El!as                Minister of Defense
President of the Republic               Gen. Jos Garc!a Samayoa
Palacio Nacional, Guatemala             Palacio Nacional,
Fax: 005022-536472 or 519702            Guatemala
                                        Fax: 005022-512026

Lic. Ramiro de Le"n Carpio
Human Rights Ombudsman
12 Av. 12-72, zona 1, Guatemala
Fax: 005022-512026

                    
  
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