From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Date: 15 Oct 92 07:08 PDT
Subject: ALERT: GAM Offices Bombed!!!
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1476700632:000:3417
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!hrcoord    Oct 15 07:08:00 1992


From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: ALERT: GAM Offices Bombed!!!

/* Written  4:50 pm  Oct 14, 1992 by peacenet@igc.apc.org in igc:pn.alerts */
From: <peacenet>

From pbiusa Wed Oct 14 15:46:32 1992
From: Peace Brigades International - USA <pbiusa>

          PEACE BRIGADES ALERT: GAM OFFICE BOMBED!!!!
     
     On Sunday night, 12th of October 1992, the offices of GAM were bombed. 
The bomb was detonated at 7:50 p.m. and destroyed the windows and entrance 
to the house. After the incident, an unidentified person arrived at the 
house to remind GAM that they had also been bombed three years ago,
probably to further intimidate the group. One hour later, four armed people
in civilian dress entered the house. They did not identify themselves. They
asked for the names and positions of the leaders of GAM, as well as 
information about any upcoming GAM activities. After a few minutes, they 
left in a red car.  The leaders of GAM fear for the safety of their members.
     The bombing of the GAM offices occurs in the context of a larger 
campaign of terror unleashed upon various popular organizations. Three 
bombs were detonated last Monday night, the fifth of October. Two of the 
bombs exploded in the headquarters of AEU (the University Student
Association) and the other outside the offices of the magazine "TINAMIT."
The explosions destroyed nearly 90% of the windows in the AEU offices,
wounding several students. The attack occurred at a time when there were
many people present on the campus, indicative of the assailants' desire to
cause injury to civilians.
     The third bomb destroyed the entrance to the TINAMIT offices. No one
was killed or wounded in this attack. Hugo Arce, columnist for the same
publication, commented that "a week ago I received death threats and 
informed the magazine's director, but we didn't make much of it. Now this 
has happened. This can't be pure coincidence" (El Grafico, 10/06/92).
Tinamit, according to its administrative director Oswaldo Marquez, is a weekly 
publication which denounces the injustices that daily occur in Guatemala.
     Our team has advised us that the following message be sent to the 
President of the Republic and the Minister of Defense:

WE WISH TO EXPRESS OUR GRAVE CONCERN OVER THE BOMBINGS OF THE OFFICES OF 
A.E.U., TINAMIT, AND G.A.M. WE REQUEST THE IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION OF THESE
INCIDENTS AS WELL AS PROTECTION OF AND RESPECT FOR THE PHYSICAL INTEGRITY 
OF MEMBERS OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS.
     
PLEASE SEND MESSAGES TO:                         

S.E. Jorge Serrano Elias                  Gral. Garcia Samayoa
Presidente de la Republica de Guatemala   Ministro de Defensa
Palacio Nacional                          Ministerio de Defensa
Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala            Palacio Nacional
fax: 502 2 537472 / 519702                Ciudad de Guatemala
telex: 5331 CAPRES GU                     fax: 502 2 537472 
telegrammes: Presidente Serrano,          telex: 5361 COMGUA GU
             Guatemala, Guatemala         telegrammes: Ministro de Defensa
                                                       Guatemala, Guatemala 
The above message can be sent by calling faxnet at 1-800-831-2202, or 
faxing to 1-800-241-1170, and requesting message #22 or #24 (to the 
President in English or Spanish) or #23 or #25 (to the Defense Minister).
For more information call Peace Brigades Int. at 617-491 4226.

Newsgroups: soc.rights.human,misc.activism.progressive