/* Written 9:54 PM Feb 17, 1992 by cerisea in igc:reg.guatemala */ /* ---------- "Cerigua Weekly Briefs" ---------- */ CERIGUA WEEKLY BRIEFS, February 9 - 15, 1992 Violence Returns to Santiago Atitlan Four heavily armed men in military uniform killed five townspeople from Santiago Atitlan after stopping the bus in which they were travelling on February 9. The mayor of Santiago Atitlan said that since the time that townspeople established peace in the community, their enemies attack them whenever they venture outside it. Mayor Salvaro Ramirez said he has the names of the assailants and plans to turn them over to officials. The bus was traveling on the highway from Patulul to Lake Atitlan. ***Prensa Libre said witnesses reported the armed assailants boarded the bus at Pochuta, where there is a military installation. At least eleven others were injured when, after robbing the passengers, the men opened fire with automatic weapons. Defense Minister Jose Garcia Samayoa has denied the assailants were soldiers, and has accused guerrilla forces of the crime. Professor and University Student Murdered University of San Carlos (USAC) Professor Manuel Estuardo Pena was murdered on February 10. His wife reports that two unknown men came to their home carrying a picture of the professor and asked for him. They waited nearby and when he came home, killed him with .45 caliber automatic weapons. Family members say anonymous callers had asked about the history professor's whereabouts days before the murder. The following day, medical student Luis Solares Argueta was kidnapped. His body, showing signs of torture and a coup de grace, was found hours later. USAC Rector Alfonso Fuentes said four professors in history, psychology, economics and pharmacy left the country last week after receiving death threats. In response to increasing repression and violence directed at the university community, other professors are also planning to leave, Fuentes said. Numerous groups condemned the Pena murder. He was a leader in the Guatemalan Teachers' Association (AMG). Armando Sanchez of the National Federation of State Workers Unions (FENASTEG) said that although he couldn't identify the assailants, "the only ones who have weapons and can operate openly are military and police forces." He added "it is impossible to speak of fighting impunity and making progress in respect for human rights, while people continue to be murdered." In response to the step-up in violence, Human RightsOmbudsman Ramiro de Leon said Guatemala has "returned to a land of terror." His assistant Alvarez Guadamuz said "I hopewe aren't returning to the 80s, to State terrorism," when "life had absolutely no value." Army Charges of Slander Dismissed A judge has rejected army charges of libel filed against AEU Secretary General Otto Peralta. Defense Minister Jose Garcia Samayoa charged Peralta with slander for accusing the army of setting off a bomb on the University of San Carlos campus last week. Judge Oscar Lopez said the army as an institution cannot initiate criminal proceedings. Following the judicial announcement, Defense Minister Jose Garcia Samayoa said he had withdrawn his complaint. He maintained, however, that Peralta's accusation was groundless. Labor leader Armando Sanchez said the Defense Minister filed the legal action to garner attention and intimidate grassroots and union leaders. Government Takes a Beating in Geneva Testimony on human rights violations in Guatemala was presented this week to the UN Human Rights Comission in Geneva, Switzerland. The France-Liberte Foundation was one of the groups calling for the appointment of what is known as a "special rapporteur" for Guatemala. This action would place Guatemala in the category of countries that seriously and systematically violate human rights. The France-Liberte Foundation, whose director is Danielle Mitterand, wife of the French president, describes Guatemala as home to "blatant State terrorism, an army with total, unconditional power, no room for civilian power, and a lack of credible and independent judicial power." The foundation added: "Nothing makes us think that the new civilian authorities have even the minimal intention of changing the current state of affairs." The International Association Against Torture also supports the appointment of a special rapporteur. In its testimony before the UN Commission, the Association said that despite the reign of terror in which assassins enjoy complete impunity, "the government of Guatemala continues to deny the deterioriation of this situation and they continue with their systematic misinformation campaign." The Association said government commitments are quickly broken and the situation remains unchanged. Americas Watch (AW) urged the US government to press for the appointment of a special rapporteur. A letter from AW Associate Director Anne Manuel to US Ambassador Kenneth Blackwell said "the security forces were responsible for hundreds of violent abuses in 1991, showing nosignificantimprovement over 1990." Manuel said "the administration of President Jorge Serrano Elias, like previous Guatemalan administrations both military and civilian, presents itself as truly committed to human rights...Yet the atrocities continue." She concluded that "if President Serrano is truly committed to ending the Guatemalan army's reign of terror, then the naming of a United Nations Special Rapporteur will strengthen his hand. If instead, he is only committed to taking the minimum steps required for acceptance by the international community, then heightened United Nations scrutiny is also warranted." US Government To Go Easy US Ambassador Thomas Stroock said on February 12 that the United States is working to prevent the naming of a UN special rapporteur to Guatemala. The US is planning to change its vote from last year, favoring only UN advisory services to Guatemala. Stroock justified US support for the Guatemalan government, saying that human rights violations happen all over the world. Furthermore, the Guatemalan government is making efforts to restore respect for human rights, he said, and these efforts could soon have positive results. The US ambassador added, however, that his government will not lift the travel advisory which recommends that tourists not go to Guatemala because of the ongoing violence. ***Radio Independiente reported that a half hour after Stroock made the announcement, a US citizen was assaulted in Guatemala City. In The View of the UN Expert... UN expert Christian Tomuschat visited Guatemala this week to update his report to the UN Human Rights Commission. He says the Commission will analyze the case of Guatemala, taking his report into account, on February 24-25. Some of Tomuschat's assessments: Violence across the country appears to be uncontrollable; impunity still exists. Many of the violent crimes in 1991, especially disappearances and murders, were clearly politically motivated. Civil patrols (PAC) and military commissioners (army's civilian agents who work in intelligence and recruitment) have become institutionalized agents of rampant violence in rural areas. The army has continued to attack groups organized as Popular Resistance Communities (CPR). His recommendations: The PACs should be abolished immediately and guerrilla forces should not take advantage by moving into areas where the PACs are removed. The CitizenProtection System (SIPROCI) should be dismantled. (SIPROCIplaces all security forces under the command of the army.) The army should seriously revise its strategies in fighting guerrilla forces to avoid harming the civilian population in conflict zones. The army should responsibly clarify its treatment of captured guerrillas. Guerrilla forces should not destroy infrastructures such as bridges and electrical towers. After meeting with the Defense and Interior Ministers, Tomuschat said government leaders are doing what they can and are determined to combat crime and impunity. Editorials in ***Prensa Libre and ***Guatemala Flash called the UN expert's comments "deliberate self-censorship" and a "carrot and stick" treatment of the government. Negotiations Update Peace conciliator Bishop Rodolfo Quezada said on February 15 that serious discrepancies impede the rapid signing of a peace agreement. His statement contrasts with Serrano's latest proposal. The Guatemalan president suggested on February 8 that the URNG present its peace proposal within 30 days, after which he will respond within 15 days. Negotiators will then begin a marathon session to continue until agreements are reached. Serrano said negotiators have discussed enough, and accused the URNG of intentionally slowing down the process. Grassroots Sectors Cut Out Interior Minister Fernando Hurtado, member of the government's negotiating team, said over ***Radio Independiente that no one other than government and URNG representatives will be allowed to participate in the peace talks. Those requesting participation include indigenous, academic, and grassroots groups as well as political parties and representatives from the Central American Parliament. Hurtado's statement contrasts with last week's URNG communique, and indicates a point of disagreement between the negotiating teams. The URNG said: "The participation in the negotiations of all political, economic, social and religious sectors is valuable and indispensable. Without their participation, it will be impossible to resolve the inherent problems in the process." Promise of Land Unfulfilled One Year Later Four hundred campesino families peacefully took over the Juchoapan plantation in Retalhuleu province, ***El Grafico reported February 8. The campesinos are trying to pressure the National Agrarian Institute (INTA) to fulfill its promiseto turn over the land to them. The landless families occupied the Olga Maria plantation in Escuintla province a year ago. After security forces violently evicted the families, killing one woman, the chief of INTA promised them land on the Juchoapan plantation. The campesinos say they have waited long enough for INTA to fulfill its promise.