From: tofutti@jonas.berkeley.edu (Caryn R Graves)
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Subject: FREEDOM WRITERS APPEALS - 8/92
Date: 29 Jul 1992 21:48:50 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: jonas.berkeley.edu


***"Freedom Writers Network Appeal Cases - August 1992"***
 
Each month, Amnesty International's Freedom Writers Network
focuses on three different cases of victims of human rights
abuse.  Some may be prisoners of conscience -- people
imprisoned solely for their beliefs, color, sex, ethnic
origins, language, or religion, who have not used or
advocated violence.  Others may have been denied a fair and
prompt trial, while others may have been tortured or
"disappeared," or may be facing execution.  All are of great
concern to Amnesty International.  Personal letters from
caring people can bring about a prisoner's release, secure
vital information, launch an investigation, or even save a
life.  Your letters can make a tremendous difference in the
fate of these individuals.
	Below are copies of the three sample letters published
in this months' Freedom Writers bulletin.  Please direct
your correspondence to the address at the top of each letter
and send a copy to the embassy address at the bottom (where
applicable).  You may copy the sample letters directly onto
your stationery or compose your own letters, using the
samples as guides.  For the greatest impact, letters should
be polite in tone and mailed within the month.  U.S. airmail
postage is 50 cents for a one-page letter.
	NOTE:  While you are free to depart from the text given
in the sample letters when writing your own personal
appeals, no one may in any way alter the on-line material as
presented originally by Amnesty International.
	Amnesty International is a worldwide movement working
impartially for the release of prisoners of conscience, fair
and prompt trials for all political prisoners, and an end to
torture, "disappearances," and executions.  It is funded by
donations from its 1.1 million members and supporters
throughout the world.  If you are interested in joining
Amnesty International USA, please write to:  Amnesty
International, 322 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10001.
 
 
*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
 
 
His Excellency President R. Premadasa
Presidential Secretariat
Republic Square
Colombo 1
SRI LANKA
 
Dear President,
	I wish to bring to your attention a very serious
matter.  At 11:00 a.m. on November 25, 1989, Ranawira
Mudiyanselage Tikiri Bandhara, a 41-year-old Sinhalese
farmer, was arrested by members of the Ambanpola (Kurunegala
District) police.  At the time, Tikiri Bandhara was in the
paddy fields in Ataragalla, Galgamuwa, Kurunegala District. 
Witnesses to his detention recognized the police, who were
driving a blue Pajero jeep.  Since then, the authorities
have provided no information to his family as to his
whereabouts or his legal status.
	I understand that the Sri Lankan police and other
security forces operate under difficult circumstances in the
context of conflict with armed opposition groups.  These
circumstances cannot, however, justify "disappearances" or
other human rights violations.  I welcome your government's
announcement last December of its acceptance of Amnesty
International's recommendations to improve the protection of
human rights in Sri Lanka.  I hope that the implementation
of these recommendations will safeguard the human rights of
the people of Sri Lanka.
	I appeal to you to investigate the "disappearance" of
Ranawira Mudiyanselage Tikiri Bandhara and to take all
necessary steps to ensure his well-being.  Thank you for
your assistance.
					Sincerely,
 
 
 
copy to:
His Excellency Susantha de Alwis
Embassy of the Democratic Socialist 
	Republic of Sri Lanka
2148 Wyoming Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20008
 
 
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President Mobutu Sese Seko
President de la Republique
Presidence de la Republique
Kinshasa-Ngaliem
ZAIRE
 
Monsieur le President,
	There is an urgent matter that is of great concern to
me.  Lieutenant Colonel Luc Mayolo Mokakoso, a military
dentist, has been held in incommunicado detention without
charge or trial since July 1991.  He was arrested by members
of the Military Action and Intelligence Service late that
month along with 10 other officers of the Zairian Armed
Forces.  The officers were suspected of links with the
Sacred Union, a coalition of political parties working for a
peaceful change of government in Zaire.  According to
unofficial reports, he was accused of plotting against the
government, although no evidence has been made public to
substantiate the charge.
	After their arrest, Mayolo and the others were held at
military intelligence headquarters in the capital, Kinshasa,
where they were reportedly tortured.  Two months later, he
and another officer were transferred to Ndolo military
prison, also in Kinshasa, where they are believed to still
be held.  The whereabouts of the other nine are unknown.
	I urge you to look into this matter and release
Lieutenant Colonel Luc Mayolo Mokakoso and the other ten
officers without delay if they are not to be brought to
trial promptly and fairly on recognizably criminal charges.
 
					Most respectfully,
 
 
 
copy to:
His Excellency Tatanene Manata
Embassy of the Republic of Zaire
1800 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20009
 
 
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S.E. Rafael Leonardo Callejas
Presidente de la Republica de Honduras
Casa Presidencial
6 Avenida, 1 Calle
Tegucigalpa
HONDURAS
 
Senor Presidente,
	I am greatly concerned about an incident which happened
on January 24, 1982.  Maria Ediltrudis Montes Giron was
travelling from Mangua, Nicaragua to Tegucigalpa to see her
family when the TICA BUS she was riding was stopped by
Honduran police at the border town of El Guasaule.  Honduran
security agents boarded the bus and detained Ediltrudis
Montes as well as Julio Cesar Mendez Zavala, Francisco
Samuel Perez Borjas and Enrique Lopez Hernandez.  The four
have not been seen since that time.  Honduran authorities
have denied any knowledge of their fate or whereabouts.
	The Nicaraguan Foreign Ministry provided the family of
Maria Ediltrudis Montes with a document certifying that she
had left Nicaragua on January 24, 1982 through El Guasaule,
and Honduran immigration records confirm that fact.  The
sister of Ediltrudis Montes claims that the TICA BUS
passenger list has the names of all four of the
"disappeared."  
	I am concerned that the "disappearance" of Maria
Ediltrudis Montes Giron may have been related to her
suspected political beliefs since she had studied in Cuba on
a scholarship.  I urge you to look into this matter,
determine the whereabouts of the four "disappeared" people,
and see that those responsible for their abduction are
brought to justice.  Although 10 years have passed since the
four "disappeared," their families continue to live with the
horror of not knowing the fate of their loved ones.  Your
government has the power and the responsibility to uncover
the answers they seek.
 
						Respectfully,
 
 
 
copy to:
His Excellency J.R. Hernandez-Alcerro
Embassy of Honduras
3007 Tilden Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20008
 
 
*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
 
 
Updates on Previous Freedom Writers Cases:
 
The following people have been released from jail:
 
- Andrew Kibathi Muigai of Kenya (May 1989 FW bulletin)
 
- Dany Muhango of Malawi (October 1991 FW bulletin)
 
- Sergey Osnach of Ukraine (February 1992 FW bulletin)
 
- Martin Machipisa Munthali of Malawi (featured in the
	Summer Postcard Action in the July 1992 FW bulletin)
 
- Edward Oyugi, George Anyona, Augustine Kathangu, and
	Ngotho Kariuki of Kenya (from the Holiday Card Action
	in the December 1991 FW bulletin).  Their convictions
	were quashed by Kenya's High Court and their sentences
	set aside in May 1992.


Newsgroups: soc.rights.human,misc.legal,alt.activism