A-Infos (en) Guatelama, Action Needed

[Dale Pfeiffer <Pfeif324@concentric.net>]

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      A - I N F O S  N E W S  S E R V I C E
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From: epica@igc.apc.org
Subject: URGENT ACTION

WAVE OF DEATH THREATS AND INTIMIDATION
IN WAKE OF ASSASSINATION OF MONSENOR GERARDI

Guatemala is suffering after the brutal assassination of  Bishop
Gerardi. He was bludgeoned to death in his garage in Guatemala City
on April 26 at around 10:00 PM, just over 48 hours after he had
presented the Recovery of the Historic Memory (REMHI) human rights
report in the Cathedral.

There is little doubt that Bishop Gerardi died as a result of his
promotion of the REMHI report, which documented over 55,000 human
rights violations during the armed conflict and attributed
responsibility for nearly 80% of those to the Armed Forces of
Guatemala. A political motivation seems clearer and clearer in the
wake of the crime. Since the murder of Bishop Gerardi:

* Archbishop Prospero Penados del Barrio has received repeated
death threats, saying, "You will be next";

* Pedro Notta, an Italian priest who worked closely with Bishop
Gerardi on the collection of data for the REMHI report has gotten
death threats ever since the day after the assassination;

* Two members of REMHI's forensic anthropology team (who wish not to
be identified for reasons of security) started receiving death threats
by phone at their homes on Saturday, May 9; the callers warned the
workers to quit their jobs or their lives would be at risk;

* The wave of death threats has hit the human rights
community especially hard; in addition, 60 leaders of the Guatemalan
Convergence (a group formed after Gerardi'd murder) have been
threatened, three labor leaders affiliated with the CGT worker central,
and two FDNG (The Democratic Front for a New Guatemala--an opposition
political party) mayoral candidates.

* The mayor of Chimaltenango was delivered a note from a death squad
called Jaguar Justiciero (JJ) which threatened the mayor and claimed
credit for killings Monsenor Gerardi and Jorge Carpio (the cousin of
the former president); [The Attorney General of Guatemala has determined

that this note is a false lead.]

* The house of Federico Reyes, a member of the REMHI forensic team
preparing to testify before a US congressional committee on
declassification efforts on May 11, was broken into and  his documents
and computer were stolen; and

* The Archbishop's human rights office has determined that at least
six individuals were involved in the planning and execution of the
the Bishop.  His movements were being monitored for days (if not
weeks) before he was killed.

Our support is needed more than ever as the crisis deepens.

***********************************************************************

                        YOUR ACTION IS NEEDED:

In many ways the murder of Bishop Gerardi is a litmus test for the
state of democracy in Guatemala.  The government must prove the
post-peace accord environment is different than the previous climate
of war.  It must prove that justice under civilian rule is possible.
Bishop Gerardi's murder is also a test for the people of this country.

Call/write President Clinton and Secretary Albright today.

President Clinton               Sec. Madeleine Albright
The White House                 Department of State
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW       2201 C St, NW
Washington, DC 20500            Washington, DC 20520
Tel: 202/456-1111               Tel: 202/647-5291
Fax: 202/456-2461               Fax: 202/647-1533
email: President@whitehouse.gov

* Pressure the US government to assist the investigation in every way
possible.

* Gerardi's assassination proves that the wall of silence and impunity
still
exists.  Honest discussion of US knowledge of human rights abuses in
Guatemala in the past is one of the most important ways to break down
this
wall. Ask them to declassify all US information on this NOW!!

Call/write President Arzu and Ambassador Lamport:

Alvaro Arzu                     Ambassador Pedro Lamport
Presidente de  la Republica     Embassy of Guatemala
Palacio Nacional                2220 R St, NW
6 Calle y 7 Avenida Z 1         Washington, DC 20008
Guatemala, Guatemala, CA        Tel: 202/745-4952
Fax: 011-502-221-4537           Fax: 202/745-1908
email: alvaroarzu@guate.net     email: embaguat@sysnet.net

* Ask them to carry out a serious and exhaustive investigation of the
political motivations behind the assassination and ensuing death
threats.
Given the new threats it is time to leave the common crime hypothesis
in second place!!

* Ask the Guatemalan government to guarantee the security of the 110
REMHI project workers and other human rights advocates.

************************************************************************

Thank you for your concern and dedication. Please contact us if you
have any questions or need additional information.

EPICA
1470 Irving St., NW
Washington, DC 20010
Tel: 202/332-0292
Fax: 202/332-1184
Email: epica@igc.apc.org
Web: www.igc.apc.org/epica




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