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UA 100/99 on Guatemala
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gh...@igc.org
May 10, 1999, 3:00:00 AM5/10/99
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>Return-Path: <shar...@aiusa.org>
>X-Lotus-FromDomain: AIUSA
>From: "Scott Harrison" <shar...@aiusa.org>
>To: "Urgent Action Network" <uane...@aiusa.org>
>Date: Mon, 10 May 1999 11:55:01 -0400
>Subject: UA 100/99 on Guatemala
>
>
>U R G E N T A C T I O N A P P E A L
>
>---------------------------------------------------
>
>10 May 1999
>
>UA 100/99 Fear for Safety
>
>GUATEMALA
>Relatives and witnesses in the trial of Juan Chanay Pablo
>
>
>Twelve former members of a civil defence patrol imprisoned for the
>1993 extrajudicial execution of villager Juan Chanay Pablo were
>freed from jail after the jail was attacked by a large group of their
>supporters. The escaped men are said to have fled to Mexico.
>Amnesty International is concerned that relatives of Juan Chanay
>Pablo and witnesses to his murder may now be at risk.
>
>On 30 April 1999, a crowd of approximately 600 former civil defence
>patrollers and peasants marched on Huehuetenango, capital of
>Huehuetenango department in the northeastern highlands of
>Guatemala, purportedly to protest against the detention of the
>convicted patrol members. They broke into the jail using spades,
>chainsaws and machetes, attacked prison officials, stole a fire-arm,
>released the 12 men and then fled with them.
>
>A few hours earlier a judge had ordered that the prisoners should be
>transferred to another jail in Cantel, Quetzaltenango department.
>
>BACKGROUND INFORMATION
>
>The 12 former patrolmen had been jailed for 25 years in 1998 for the
>extrajudicial execution of villager Juan Chanay Pablo (UA 259/93).
>Juan Chanay Pablo was killed in August 1993 when civil patrollers
>attacked a peaceful demonstration in the hamlet of El Naranjal,
>Colotenango, Huehuetenango against the abuses carried out by the
>local civil patrol. After the attack, witnesses and relatives of Juan
>Chanay Pablo and others who were injured were constantly
>threatened, reportedly for cooperating in the investigation. The case
>was brought before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
>(IACHR) of the Organisation of American States (OAS) in March
>1994. The Court requested 'cautionary measures', calling on the
>Guatemalan government to protect those being threatened.
>Guatemala agreed to implement the requested measures in June
>1994, and the witnesses and family members were offered some
>protection. Despite this, the harassment continued and the measures
>had to be renewed several times.
>
>In 1997 the Guatemalan Government finally paid compensation for
>the Colotenango incident to the victims and their relatives as well as
>committing $355,000 to 15 development projects in Colotenango as
>additional compensation for the community.
>
>RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send
>telegrams/telexes/faxes/express/airmail letters:
>- expressing grave concern at the escape of the 12 former members
>of the civil patrol;
>- calling on the Guatemalan government to take immediate steps to
>ensure the safety of the witnesses and victims involved in the Juan
>Chanay Pablo trial;
>- noting that Amnesty International had welcomed the decision in
>1998 which brought the perpetrators to justice and awarded
>compensation to their families and to the community and that the
>organization considers that these fugitives from justice must serve
>their sentences to show that the government has a genuine
>commitment to ensuring an end to impunity in Guatemala, and as one
>step towards a 'firm and lasting peace', as called for in the 1996
>Peace Accords;
>- noting reports that the fugitives may now be in Mexico, and
>therefore, asking the Guatemalan government to seek the assistance
>of the Mexican authorities, to determine if the escapees have indeed
>reached Mexico, and if so, that, in accordance with relevant
>agreements between the two countries, all possible steps be taken by
>both governments to return them to Guatemala to serve the
>sentences for the crimes of which they have been convicted;
>- calling on the Mexican authorities listed below, to cooperate fully,
>again in accordance with the relevant agreements between the two
>countries, with Guatemalan efforts to return any of these convicts that
>may have reached Mexico, to Guatemala to serve their sentences;
>- urging the Guatemalan authorities to investigate the jail break and
>bring those responsible to justice;
>
>
>APPEALS TO:
>President of the Republic of Guatemala:
>S.E. Alvaro Arzu Irigoyen
>Presidente de la Republica de Guatemala
>Palacio Nacional
>6a Calle y 7a Avenida, Zona 1
>Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA
>Fax: 011 502 221 4537/230 1508
>E-mail: alvar...@guate.net
> alvar...@guateconnect.com
>Salutation: Excelentisimo Senor Presidente / Dear President
>Irigoyen
>
>Minister of Foreign Relations:
>Lic. Eduardo Stein
>Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores
>Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores
>Palacio Nacional
>6a Calle y 7a Avenida, Zona 1
>Ciudad de Guatemala , GUATEMALA
>Fax: 011 502 232 7832/ 251 8445
>Salutation: Senor Ministro/ Dear Minister
>
>Attorney General:
>Lic. Adolfo Gonzalez Rodas
>Fiscal General de la Republica
>Ministerio Publico
>6a Avenida 3-11, Zona 4
>Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA
>Fax: 011 502 362 7223
>Salutation: Dear Attorney General / Senor Fiscal General
>
>Departmental Governor of Huehuetenango:
>Roderico Algredo Martinez
>Gobernador Departamental de Huehuetenango
>4a Avenida y 2a Calle, Zona 1
>Huehuetenango, Huehuetenango, GUATEMALA
>Tel: 011 502 764 1295
>Fax: 011 502 764 1270
>Salutation: Senor Gobernador / Dear Governor
>
>President of the Republic de Mexico:
>Lic. Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon
>Presidente de la Republica de Mexico
>Residencia Oficial de los Pinos
>Mexico D.F., MEXICO
>Tel: 011 52 5 515 9829 / 8256
>Fax: 011 52 5 515 5729
>Salutation: Excelentisimo Senor Presidente / Dear President Zedillo
>
>Mexican Minister of Foreign Relations:
>Lic. Rosario Green Macias
>Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores
>Av. Ricardo Flores Magon No.1,
>Col. Nonoalco Tlatelolco
>06995 Mexico D.F., MEXICO
>Tel: 011 52 5 782 3983
>Fax: 011 52 5 782 4109
>Salutation: Senora Secretaria / Dear Minister
>
>COPIES TO:
>National Council of Guatemalan Widows:
>Coordinadora Nacional de Viudas
>de Guatemala (CONAVIGUA)
>8a. Avenida 2-29, Zona 1
>Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA
>Fax: 011 502 232 5642
>Salutation: Estimadas amigas
>
>Daily Newspaper:
>Diario 'Prensa Libre'
>13 Calle 9-31, Zona l,
>Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA
>Tel/Fax: 011 502 230 5096
>Fax: 011 502 251 8768
>E-mail: mediosele...@prensalibre.com.gt
> naci...@prensalibre.com.gt
>Salutation: Estimados senores / Dear Sirs
>
>Ambassador William Howard Stixrud
>Embassy of Guatemala
>2220 R St. NW
>Washington DC 20008
>Phone: 202 745 4952
>Fax: 202 745 1908
>Email: emba...@sysnet.net
>
>Please send appeals immediately. Check with the Colorado office
>between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm, Mountain Time, weekdays only, if
>sending appeals after June 30, 1999.
>
>This information is from Amnesty International's research
>headquarters in London, England. A.I. is an independent worldwide
>movement working for the international protection of human rights. It
>seeks the release of people detained because of their beliefs, color,
>sex, ethnic origin, language or religious creed, provided they have not
>used nor advocated violence. These are termed prisoners of
>conscience. It works for fair and prompt trials for all political
>prisoners and works on behalf of such people detained without
>charge or trial. It opposes the death penalty, extra-judicial executions
>(political killings), 'disappearances' and torture or other cruel,
>inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of all prisoners
>without reservation. Amnesty International promotes awareness of
>and adherance to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and
>other internationally recognized human rights instruments, the
>values enshrined in them and the indivisibility and interdependence
>of all human rights and freedoms.
>
>Please do not repost this information to any part of the Internet
>without prior permission from Amnesty International. Thank you for
>your help with this appeal.
>
>Please read the monthly Urgent Action Network Newsletter posted on
>the web at: http://www.amnesty-USA.org/urgact/newslett.html
>
>Urgent Action Network
>Amnesty International USA
>PO Box 1270
>Nederland CO 80466-1270
>Email: shar...@aiusa.org
>http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgact/
>Phone: 303 258 1170
>Fax: 303 258 7881
>
>
>
>X-Lotus-FromDomain: AIUSA
>From: "Scott Harrison" <shar...@aiusa.org>
>To: "Urgent Action Network" <uane...@aiusa.org>
>Date: Mon, 10 May 1999 11:55:01 -0400
>Subject: UA 100/99 on Guatemala
>
>
>U R G E N T A C T I O N A P P E A L
>
>---------------------------------------------------
>
>10 May 1999
>
>UA 100/99 Fear for Safety
>
>GUATEMALA
>Relatives and witnesses in the trial of Juan Chanay Pablo
>
>
>Twelve former members of a civil defence patrol imprisoned for the
>1993 extrajudicial execution of villager Juan Chanay Pablo were
>freed from jail after the jail was attacked by a large group of their
>supporters. The escaped men are said to have fled to Mexico.
>Amnesty International is concerned that relatives of Juan Chanay
>Pablo and witnesses to his murder may now be at risk.
>
>On 30 April 1999, a crowd of approximately 600 former civil defence
>patrollers and peasants marched on Huehuetenango, capital of
>Huehuetenango department in the northeastern highlands of
>Guatemala, purportedly to protest against the detention of the
>convicted patrol members. They broke into the jail using spades,
>chainsaws and machetes, attacked prison officials, stole a fire-arm,
>released the 12 men and then fled with them.
>
>A few hours earlier a judge had ordered that the prisoners should be
>transferred to another jail in Cantel, Quetzaltenango department.
>
>BACKGROUND INFORMATION
>
>The 12 former patrolmen had been jailed for 25 years in 1998 for the
>extrajudicial execution of villager Juan Chanay Pablo (UA 259/93).
>Juan Chanay Pablo was killed in August 1993 when civil patrollers
>attacked a peaceful demonstration in the hamlet of El Naranjal,
>Colotenango, Huehuetenango against the abuses carried out by the
>local civil patrol. After the attack, witnesses and relatives of Juan
>Chanay Pablo and others who were injured were constantly
>threatened, reportedly for cooperating in the investigation. The case
>was brought before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
>(IACHR) of the Organisation of American States (OAS) in March
>1994. The Court requested 'cautionary measures', calling on the
>Guatemalan government to protect those being threatened.
>Guatemala agreed to implement the requested measures in June
>1994, and the witnesses and family members were offered some
>protection. Despite this, the harassment continued and the measures
>had to be renewed several times.
>
>In 1997 the Guatemalan Government finally paid compensation for
>the Colotenango incident to the victims and their relatives as well as
>committing $355,000 to 15 development projects in Colotenango as
>additional compensation for the community.
>
>RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send
>telegrams/telexes/faxes/express/airmail letters:
>- expressing grave concern at the escape of the 12 former members
>of the civil patrol;
>- calling on the Guatemalan government to take immediate steps to
>ensure the safety of the witnesses and victims involved in the Juan
>Chanay Pablo trial;
>- noting that Amnesty International had welcomed the decision in
>1998 which brought the perpetrators to justice and awarded
>compensation to their families and to the community and that the
>organization considers that these fugitives from justice must serve
>their sentences to show that the government has a genuine
>commitment to ensuring an end to impunity in Guatemala, and as one
>step towards a 'firm and lasting peace', as called for in the 1996
>Peace Accords;
>- noting reports that the fugitives may now be in Mexico, and
>therefore, asking the Guatemalan government to seek the assistance
>of the Mexican authorities, to determine if the escapees have indeed
>reached Mexico, and if so, that, in accordance with relevant
>agreements between the two countries, all possible steps be taken by
>both governments to return them to Guatemala to serve the
>sentences for the crimes of which they have been convicted;
>- calling on the Mexican authorities listed below, to cooperate fully,
>again in accordance with the relevant agreements between the two
>countries, with Guatemalan efforts to return any of these convicts that
>may have reached Mexico, to Guatemala to serve their sentences;
>- urging the Guatemalan authorities to investigate the jail break and
>bring those responsible to justice;
>
>
>APPEALS TO:
>President of the Republic of Guatemala:
>S.E. Alvaro Arzu Irigoyen
>Presidente de la Republica de Guatemala
>Palacio Nacional
>6a Calle y 7a Avenida, Zona 1
>Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA
>Fax: 011 502 221 4537/230 1508
>E-mail: alvar...@guate.net
> alvar...@guateconnect.com
>Salutation: Excelentisimo Senor Presidente / Dear President
>Irigoyen
>
>Minister of Foreign Relations:
>Lic. Eduardo Stein
>Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores
>Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores
>Palacio Nacional
>6a Calle y 7a Avenida, Zona 1
>Ciudad de Guatemala , GUATEMALA
>Fax: 011 502 232 7832/ 251 8445
>Salutation: Senor Ministro/ Dear Minister
>
>Attorney General:
>Lic. Adolfo Gonzalez Rodas
>Fiscal General de la Republica
>Ministerio Publico
>6a Avenida 3-11, Zona 4
>Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA
>Fax: 011 502 362 7223
>Salutation: Dear Attorney General / Senor Fiscal General
>
>Departmental Governor of Huehuetenango:
>Roderico Algredo Martinez
>Gobernador Departamental de Huehuetenango
>4a Avenida y 2a Calle, Zona 1
>Huehuetenango, Huehuetenango, GUATEMALA
>Tel: 011 502 764 1295
>Fax: 011 502 764 1270
>Salutation: Senor Gobernador / Dear Governor
>
>President of the Republic de Mexico:
>Lic. Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon
>Presidente de la Republica de Mexico
>Residencia Oficial de los Pinos
>Mexico D.F., MEXICO
>Tel: 011 52 5 515 9829 / 8256
>Fax: 011 52 5 515 5729
>Salutation: Excelentisimo Senor Presidente / Dear President Zedillo
>
>Mexican Minister of Foreign Relations:
>Lic. Rosario Green Macias
>Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores
>Av. Ricardo Flores Magon No.1,
>Col. Nonoalco Tlatelolco
>06995 Mexico D.F., MEXICO
>Tel: 011 52 5 782 3983
>Fax: 011 52 5 782 4109
>Salutation: Senora Secretaria / Dear Minister
>
>COPIES TO:
>National Council of Guatemalan Widows:
>Coordinadora Nacional de Viudas
>de Guatemala (CONAVIGUA)
>8a. Avenida 2-29, Zona 1
>Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA
>Fax: 011 502 232 5642
>Salutation: Estimadas amigas
>
>Daily Newspaper:
>Diario 'Prensa Libre'
>13 Calle 9-31, Zona l,
>Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA
>Tel/Fax: 011 502 230 5096
>Fax: 011 502 251 8768
>E-mail: mediosele...@prensalibre.com.gt
> naci...@prensalibre.com.gt
>Salutation: Estimados senores / Dear Sirs
>
>Ambassador William Howard Stixrud
>Embassy of Guatemala
>2220 R St. NW
>Washington DC 20008
>Phone: 202 745 4952
>Fax: 202 745 1908
>Email: emba...@sysnet.net
>
>Please send appeals immediately. Check with the Colorado office
>between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm, Mountain Time, weekdays only, if
>sending appeals after June 30, 1999.
>
>This information is from Amnesty International's research
>headquarters in London, England. A.I. is an independent worldwide
>movement working for the international protection of human rights. It
>seeks the release of people detained because of their beliefs, color,
>sex, ethnic origin, language or religious creed, provided they have not
>used nor advocated violence. These are termed prisoners of
>conscience. It works for fair and prompt trials for all political
>prisoners and works on behalf of such people detained without
>charge or trial. It opposes the death penalty, extra-judicial executions
>(political killings), 'disappearances' and torture or other cruel,
>inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of all prisoners
>without reservation. Amnesty International promotes awareness of
>and adherance to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and
>other internationally recognized human rights instruments, the
>values enshrined in them and the indivisibility and interdependence
>of all human rights and freedoms.
>
>Please do not repost this information to any part of the Internet
>without prior permission from Amnesty International. Thank you for
>your help with this appeal.
>
>Please read the monthly Urgent Action Network Newsletter posted on
>the web at: http://www.amnesty-USA.org/urgact/newslett.html
>
>Urgent Action Network
>Amnesty International USA
>PO Box 1270
>Nederland CO 80466-1270
>Email: shar...@aiusa.org
>http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgact/
>Phone: 303 258 1170
>Fax: 303 258 7881
>
>
>
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