/* Written 10:41 PM Apr 27, 1992 by cerisea in igc:reg.guatemala */ /* ---------- "Cerigua Weekly Briefs" ---------- */ WEEKLY BRIEFS, APRIL 12 - 25, 1992 Harassment of Catholic Church Intensifies During Holy Week Acts of intimidation aimed at the Catholic church have risen sharply since a large public demonstration by Catholics in late March. On April 1 the Santa Clara Church was damaged by fire and on April 20, parish priest Jose Elias Perez reported that several men ransacked the church, stealing three antique goblets worked in gold and silver. The church is located some 300 feet from National Police headquarters in Guatemala City. At the San Jose Church, about 1,500 feet from the capital's Army General Garrison, the cloak of the patron saint was burned during Easter week. Four religious paintings brought from Cadiz, Spain 300 years ago were stolen from the Santo Domingo church by men who arrived in several vehicles. The paintings dated from the sixteenth to seventeenth centuries and are valued at $10 million. Metropolitan Archbishop Prospero Penados condemned the violence against the Church and recent bomb threats. Arsonists also attempted to set fire to the El Gallito church on the western side of the city. Following mass in the San Juan Comalapa Church in Chimaltenango, residents reported that soldiers patrolling the area fired over the heads of parishioners leaving the church. Army Bombs Quiche During Holy Week Over the Easter holidays the army attacked civilian areas of Quiche province, according to a report from the URNG. The army reportedly shelled cultivated areas around the town of Santa Clara, and military patrols from the Amacchel garrison harassed area residents. Despite a unilateral truce declared for April 15-19 by the rebel command, the insurgency announced it was obliged to repel the army attack in the Santa Clara area to prevent further harm to residents. Civilians living in Cuarto Pueblo were also bombed twice by the army during the holidays, the URNG reported. Family Member of Key Murder Witness Attacked Casa Alianza children's shelter reports that on March 15, three men kidnapped 18 year-old Ingri Arevalo at gunpoint, then raped and stabbed her. The victim is the sister of ex- police agent Vilma Arevalo, who left the country after testifying in the murder of homeless child Nahaman Carmona Lopez who was kicked to death by police March 4, 1990. The men told Ingri she would pay for what her sister did and "the next time we'll kill you." The four police accused of murdering Nahaman were sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison but the sentence was then annulled due to a "procedural error." They remain in prisonawaiting re-sentencing. The shelter has 78 lawsuits pending against more than 50 National Police and a growing number of military personnel. Director Bruce Harris said "it doesn't take much imagination to see who's responsible," for the attack against the key witness's sister. Americas Watch reports that Ingri Arevalo has received asylum in another country. Attacks Against San Carlos University Continue Arsonists set fire to the San Carlos University School of Humanities in Quetzaltenango--the fourth attack against university installations in three months. Students hold the government responsible for new violence against the university community which began in January when an explosion destroyed part of the University Student Association (AEU) offices and 15 classrooms in the Chemical Science Department. This same school building was bombed again in March. In February there was an attempted bombing of the university museum, fifteen professors received death threats and one professor and a student were murdered. On April 10, Hunapu forces opened fire on 100 students readying for the traditional "Huelga de Dolores" anti-government demonstration. Various versions have circulated about the events of the shooting and it is uncertain how many students may have been captured. Families of six students have reported that their children are still missing. Defense Minister Jose Garcia denies student charges that the attacks are part of a government attempt to harass the university community. "Instead of fighting eachother or becoming polarized, we should seek reconciliation and understanding," said Garcia. Thousands of students held a march to the National Palace calling for the abolition of Hunapu and the firing of the interior and defense ministers. Americas Watch Says Hunapu is SIPROCI Resurrected Americas Watch (AW) says the new Hunapu army-police force, inaugurated March 5, is simply the old civilian protection system SIPROCI by another name. United Nations human rights expert Christian Tomuschat called for the immediate abolition of SIPROCI in his January 21 report. He said there must be "a strict, organic separation between the armed forces and the national police." But both Hunapu and SIPROCI forces combine patrols of national and treasury police, military police and army soldiers. AW lists cases of at least twenty persons, including students and homeless children, who have been attacked by Hunapu forces during the force's brief existence. CPR Member Reports Army Forced Confession Eliseo Lopez Alcon of the Communities in Resistance (CPR), says the military kidnapped him and tortured him into saying he was a guerrilla combatant. Last January 24, the army marched Lopez out as one of six guerrillas it had captured. Human Rights Ombudsman Ramiro de Leon confirmed that three were indeed guerrillas while two others were army employees. The sixth was Lopez, who was captured from the CPR by the army January 15. Lopez says he has filed suit against the army, and Defense Minister Jose Garcia in particular. The army is now threatening Lopez with a lawsuit for defamation. Judge Secaira: Ortiz Case Will Continue Judge Leticia Secaira said proceedings will continue in the Dianna Ortiz case when the nun again visits Guatemala. Secaira said evidence implicates the army and the national police but no one has yet been charged. The judge said Ortiz will have to name someone directly because the court cannot put the entire army or police force on the witness stand. Secaira said from six to eight witnesses are to testify, including Archbishop Prospero Penados, US ambassador Thomas Stroock and former Vatican envoy Oriano Quillicci. Ursuline sisters living in the United States will accompany Ortiz when she returns and will testify as well, she said. Army Officer Arrested in Double Homicide Intoxicated and in uniform, 2nd lieutenant Jorge Salguero from the Army General Garrison was arrested for randomly killing two persons in a capital city neighborhood. Salguero shot Ronald Mendez, 19, in the chest at point blank range as he waited for a bus, then continued running through the street firing. Roberto Morales, 42, was seated just off the street when the officer shot him in the chest at a distance of six feet. More than 30 witnesses have filed statements against Salguero with the Attorney General. Relatives of the victims report being threatened not to make any statements or press charges. Murder of Police Chief on Myrna Mack Case: Still Unresolved A judge has acquitted two men arrested last year in the murder of police investigator Jose Merida Escobar. The judge's ruling was based on contradictions in the testimonies and evidence presented against Gonzalo Cifuentes Estrada and Alfredo Guerra Galindo. The Archbishop's Human Rights Office applauded the court action for rejecting the suspects' forced confessions. A police video in which Cifuentes Estrada confessed to the August 1991 murder was aired on national television. The two arrests were touted as evidence that authorities had put an end to impunity. The Archbishop's Office has demanded that authorities conducta serious investigation into the murder of Police Chief Escobar who himself was looking into the murder of anthropologist Myrna Mack. The Archbishop's Office asks: "Whose interests were served by prosecuting two persons not responsible for the crime? Who will pay for the harm done to the two men who served more than ten months in jail?" Bomb Explodes at Government Building A bomb exploded in a government building in the capital April 23, while four other bomb threats turned out to be false alarms. A home-made TNT time bomb went off in a building housing the Real Estate Records Office and a foreign ministry annex. The explosion injured five persons and broke windows in the building and surrounding residences in the capital's zone one. No one claimed responsibility for the bombing. Police units evacuated and searched two Guatel telephone company buildings nearby after phone threats were received. A military police chief said no bombs were found. There were other false alarms that day at the main plaza near the National Palace and at San Carlos University. Court Official on Sikorsky Case Goes Into Exile A court investigator working on the illicit purchase of three Sikorsky helicopters during the Cerezo government went into exile after being attacked and threatened. Raul Perez Santo was beaten by assailants who told him to drop the case involving the former president and ex-Army Chief of Staff General Edgar Godoy. Carlos Soto: Interior Ministry Ensures Militarization of Country Days after Interior Minister Fernando Hurtado announced the purchase of high power submachine guns, he made public his decision to fill 1,000 vacant police positions with soldiers, El Grafico columnist Carlos Rafael Soto writes. Soto says Hurtado's incompetence will ensure total militarization of Guatemalan society and further complicate the peace process. Hurtado denies he is militarizing Guatemala, saying only 30% of the police force positions will be filled by soldiers. He says the National Police will undergo a restructuring over the next two years with the assistance of the Chilean Carabineros. US Ambassador Warns Against Coup Defense Minister Jose Garcia denies any possibility of a coup in Guatemala saying the army will not obstruct the democratic path the people have chosen. In light of events in Peru and rumors circulating about a possible coup against Serrano, Ambassador Thomas Stroock said the US will withdraw its support from any country that upsets the democratic processin this hemisphere, warning that such countries will "pay dearly." 9,000 Canadian Catholics Demand Protection for CONAVIGUA In a letter to President Jorge Serrano, nine thousand Catholics expressed their "rage at the horrible violence that continues against organizations of campesinos, unionists, students, human rights and church workers." Religious workers from the San Antonio Diocese in Canada demanded guarantees for the freedom of speech and right to organize for the women of the National Council of Widows of Guatemala (CONAVIGUA). In an expression of solidarity with CONAVIGUA, the Catholics called on Serrano to end forced recruitment, abolish the civil defense patrols (PACs) and investigate the murders of victims buried in clandestine cemeteries. Cholera Outbreak Ten months after cholera first hit Guatemala, new cases were reported during Holy Week in 11 of the country's 22 provinces. Vice Minister of Health Thelma Duarte says one person died and 17 others tested positive among the 123 patients attended over the Easter holidays. Government officials say that of the 4,437 persons treated for symptoms of cholera in the last ten months, 2,238 were diagnosed positively and 75 persons died. ***************** In the U.S. and Canada subscribe to Weekly Briefs by sending check or money order to: ANI PO Box 28481 Seattle, WA 98118 Subscription fees in the U.S. and Canada: $18 for 6 months, $36 for one year. Elsewhere, contact: CERIGUA Apartado Postal 74206 CP 09080 Delegacion Itzapalapa Mexico, D.F. Telephone: 5102320 - FAX 5109061 - Telex (17) 64525 Also please send us your comments and suggestions to the Seattle address or by email to cerisea on PeaceNet.