From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: GUATEMALA: ARMY ACCUSED OF BOMBING CIVILIANS
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 08:23:15 GMT

/** reg.guatemala: 81.0 **/
** Topic: IPS:Army Accused of Bombing **
** Written 11:17 am  Aug 28, 1992 by hrcoord in cdp:reg.guatemala **
From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: IPS:Army Accused of Bombing

/* Written 12:06 am  Aug 28, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Title: GUATEMALA: ARMY ACCUSED OF BOMBING CIVILIANS

guatemala city, aug 25 (ips) -- the guatemalan government has denied
accusations by a multipartite commission that the national army had
bombed the civilian population in the country's central region.

in a press conference early this week, the commission, which is
composed of representatives of different ethnic and civic groups,
said the army had bombed one month ago the towns of angeles and
pueblo nuevo ii in an area known as 'triangulo ixil', located some
180 kms northwest of the capital.

prelate heinz joachim held of the german evangelical church, who
is a member of the commission, said he had visited the towns in the
central region of quiche. he said evidence that the areas had been
bombed could be seen everywhere.

held, who spent two days in the area, said thousands of people in
the area ''have been cut off and deprived of the basic necessities
needed to survive''. most of the inhabitants here are said to be
indigenous members of the popular resistance communities (cpr).

but guatemalan defence minister gen jose garcia said the bombing
accusations heaped on the army could not be proved in unpopulated
areas. ''these towns do not exist,'' he said.

''if at this moment, without making any fuss or previous
announcements, we were to take a helicopter and check on the cpr who
are supposed to live in this area, we would find that they didn't
exist,'' garcia said.

human rights lawyer and commission member cesar alvarez however
said that both towns are populated by some 24,000 people who had
lost their homes during the country's 30-year civil war.

held said these towns ''existed'' and had been burned down and
looted during the 1980's.

government reports say majority of the 40,000 people displaced by
the war all over the country are indigenous peoples of the popular
resistance communities (cpr) which the military has repeatedly
accused of being the guerrilla base.

alvarez has offered to accompany guatemalan president jorge
serrano on a visit to the devastated areas. ''once the president
realises the truth, he would think about it and reconsider the
government's attitude toward these people,'' alvarez said.

held said a report on his visit, which would be released in
germany, includes a proposal for the guatemalan government to set up
an official commission that would seek solutions to the predicament
of the people in these areas. (end/ips/trd/gr/ls/cir/92)



** End of text from cdp:reg.guatemala **
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive