From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: Guatemala alert: 1000 VIOLENTLY EVICTED
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 22:47:17 GMT

/** reg.guatemala: 130.0 **/
** Topic: Rapid Response Alert, 4-6-92 **
** Written  2:23 pm  Apr  7, 1992 by nisgua in cdp:reg.guatemala **
RAPID RESPONSE ALERT
APRIL 6, 1992
1000 CAKCHIQUEL VIOLENTLY EVICTED
FOLLOWING LAND OCCUPATION

      Approximately half of the 1800 residents of the village of San Jorge la
Laguna, Solol , decided to occupy the property of the Finca Jaibal, which
faces Lake Atitl n, on March 23.  They informed the President and the
Assistant Procurator of Human Rights of their action, as well as the media. 

      Historically, the area of the finca had belonged to the Cakchiquel people.
In the 19th century, however, the community allowed a lawyer who had
assisted them to construct a house on the land.  When he died he willed the
land to his wife, though the residents of San Jorge do not recognize the
validity of this transference of ownership.  In 1959 dozens of families from
San Jorge who were living on the beach property were moved to the hills so
that a "tourist center" could be constructed.  This venture failed, and the
property subsequently passed through various hands.  In 1979 the owners
closed off access to the shore, but, by the following year the property was in
a state of abandonment.  The current owners are the Sarabia and the Camache
families, though no deed exists to back up their ownership claim.    

      On March 31 250 members of the National Anti-Riot Police (PNA) arrived
at Jaibal, accompanied by the Procurator of Human Rights as well as the
Departmental (Provincial) Governor.  The police tried to evict the occupiers
with teargas, but it was thrown back at them by a number of youths.  The
residents requested a dialogue with the Assistant Procurator and the
Governor, who requested that they be accompanied by the chief of the Anti-
riot Police.  These parties reached an agreement that gave the occupying
residents six months to arrange a settlement with the alleged owners.  

      In spite of this agreement, a large group of police arrived only three
days later (April 4, 4:30am), this time accompanied by soldiers.  By this time
1000 residents of other nearby villages had arrived as a demonstration of
solidarity with the San Jorge villagers.  The police immediately began to throw
the people off the property (without any judicial order) using teargas and
firing their guns, injuring some 30 persons, several of them seriously.  The
police did not permit ambulances to enter the area, nor were members of the
press allowed to enter.  Two people were initially reported as disappeared but
were later located.  More than 60 persons were arrested initially, forty of
whom were later released.  They were tied up and taken by boats to
Panajachel, where they were put on a bus and taken to the jail in Solol .   

      The villagers had not damaged the house on the Jaibal property nor any
of the goods.  Nevertheless, the army and police officers took advantage of
the situation to destroy buildings, including the village's church, destroy some
of the goods on the property and steal articles belonging to the occupying
villagers.  

      Twenty villagers are still being held, including RUDOLFO POCOP
COROXON and GENARO ACETUN, two community organizers.  There is particular
concern about Pocop Coroxon, since his sister was abducted and two of his
brothers had to leave Guatemala due to their prior work with the community. 
A vigil is being held in front of the jail in Solol , with massive participation
by townspeople.  At present, the military has the town completely surrounded.

SOURCES:  CERJ, fax, 4-6-92; CUC, fax, 4-2-92; CDHG, 4-6-92.

ACTIVATE YOUR RAPID RESPONSE NETWORK TO:

1.  Denounce the brutal displacement of the villagers and ask that those 
      responsible be prosecuted,

2.  Ask that the Army be withdrawn from the area,

3.  Request that the prisoners be released and that their safety, particularly 
      that of Rudolfo Pocop Coroxon and Genaro Acetun, be guaranteed, and

4.  Ask that the request by the community for dialogue with the owners of 
      the property be granted.    

SEND MESSAGES TO:

Ing. Jorge Serrano El!as  
Presidente de la Rep#blica     
Palacio Nacional               
Guatemala, Guatemala           
Telex:  305-5331 CAPRES GU     
Fax:  502 2 537472                   
or 502 2 519702
Telephone:  502 2 21212         
Coronel Gustavo Mndez Herrera
Commandante
Base Militar No 14
Solol , Solol 
Guatemala
Telex:  305-5361 COMGUA GU
Telephone:  502 9 621464
         or 502 9 621506    
Note:  A pre-arranged telex message can be sent via ATI (800-888-5284), 
FAXNET (800-831-2202) or Worldlink (800-827-2831).  FAXNET specializes in
human rights-related emergencies in Central America.  Ask for message
"NISGUA #10".  Please send half of your telexes to the President, the other
half to Coronel Herrera. 

Text of Telex Message "NISGUA # 10":

      Denuncio el brutal desalojo de mil personas ind!genas de la Finca Jaibal,
Solol .  Exijo que se retire el ejrcito de la aldea.  Exijo que sean liberados
los detenidos y que se respete sus derechos humanos, especialmente RUDOLFO
POCOP COROXON y GENARO ACETUN.  Exijo que se solucione el conflicto con
dialogo. 

English Translation (note:  please send Spanish version):

      I denounce the brutal displacement of one thousand indigenous persons
from Finca Jaibal.  I urge that the Army be withdrawn from the village.  I
urge that the detained be released and that their human rights be respected,
particularly RUDOLFO POCOP COROXON and GENARO ACETUN.  I urge that the
conflict be resolved with dialogue.

Copies to be forwarded to:

CERJ
5a Ave. 3-13, Zona 5
Santa Cruz del Quich
El Quich
Guatemala

Note:  Our recently issued Quarterly Human Rights Update was published with
its final page missing due to a printer error.  The following page has the
missing information as it should have appeared: 

Investigation of the Murder of Myrna Mack

      In February civilian judge, Victor Hugo Navarro Solis, ruled that Noel
Beteta, a former Army sergeant and the prime suspect in the brutal 1990
killing of Guatemalan anthropologist Myrna Mack, would have to be tried in a
military court since he was in the military at the time of the murder.  Beteta
was arrested in December, 1991, but the case still has not been brought to
trial.  The private prosecutor handling the case plans to appeal Navarro's
ruling.  The Mack family has urged that the trial be held in a civilian court,
saying that a military court would be too lenient.  Helen Mack, the victim's
sister has stated that civilian authorities are too afraid to try Beteta.  Myrna
Mack was a respected expert on issues concerning refugees and the internally
displaced.  According to a recent report issued by the New York-based
Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, the investigation of her killing has been
characterized by delays, cover-ups and the destruction of evidence by the
police.

Dianna Ortiz to Return to Guatemala to Give Testimony  

      In early April, US nun Dianna Ortiz plans to return to Guatemala for the
first time since fleeing the country following her abduction and torture in
1989.  Ortiz will testify before Fernando Linares, the Special Prosecutor
appointed by the Attorney General.  Linares has made a number of
disconcerting public statements against the merits of Ortiz's case.  In
advertisements in Guatemalan newspapers Linares has said that Ortiz has been
uncooperative and that she and the Ursuline Order are "hiding something." 
His statements insinuate that the purpose of the nun's visit is not to present
her testimony but to defend herself as if she were accused of fraud.  Ortiz
will also meet with members of grassroots organizations, officials of the
Supreme Court and the Office of the Human Rights Procurator, and Catholic
Church workers.  The Catholic Church has asked President Serrano to
guarantee Ortiz's safety while she is in Guatemala.    
                                      
                               What You Can Do

      Join the NISGUA Rapid Response Network! 
Write to us at 1314 14th St., NW, Washington, DC, 20005, and we will
put you in touch with a committee in your area doing rapid response work. 
Call or write your Congressional representative and urge him or her to
oppose all military aid to Guatemala and to support efforts to condition
economic aid on progress in the area of human rights.  Send a letter,
telex, or other message urging that human rights crimes be investigated
and that the perpetrators be prosecuted to:

Ing. Jorge Serrano El!as
Presidente de la Rep#blica
Palacio Nacional
Guatemala, Guatemala
Telex:  305-5331 CAPRES GU
Fax:  502 2 537472
or 502 2 519702  
Telephone:  502 2 21212         
Fernando Hurtado Prem
Ministro de Gobernaci"n
Oficina No. 8, Palacio Nacional
Guatemala, Guatemala
Telex:  305-5085 MINGOB GU
Fax:  502 2 518105
Telephone:  502 2 21212, 
or 502 2 22266 (ext. 500)     

Your message can be in English or Spanish.  Telexes can be sent through a
number of telex companies, including ATI (800-888-5284),
FAXNET (800-831-2202) and Worldlink (800-827-2831). 
                     **********************************
      This report was written by David Bryden.  The following sources were
used:  Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA, Human Rights Update, 1992,
#1 - #6; Amnesty International, Urgent Actions 03/92, 07/92, 11/92, 30/92,
39/92, 41/92, 56/92, 72/92, 85/92, 87/92, 91/92, 102/92; and
Guatemalan News Agency, CERIGUA Weekly Briefs, January 5, 1992 - March
28, 1992.
** End of text from cdp:reg.guatemala **

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