home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive
- Path: sparky!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wupost!mont!pencil.cs.missouri.edu!rich
- From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
- Subject: Guatemala: Enfoprensa 12/15 - 12/21
- Message-ID: <1992Dec30.005139.11954@mont.cs.missouri.edu>
- Followup-To: alt.activism.d
- Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
- Sender: news@mont.cs.missouri.edu
- Nntp-Posting-Host: pencil.cs.missouri.edu
- Organization: PACH
- Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 00:51:39 GMT
- Approved: map@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
- Lines: 413
-
- /** reg.guatemala: 133.0 **/
- ** Topic: Enfoprensa #508. English **
- ** Written 9:17 pm Dec 24, 1992 by web:enfopre in cdp:reg.guatemala **
- ENFOPRENSA WEEKLY NEWS REPORT #508 15-21/12/1992
-
- NEGOTIATION.
- SUCCESSFUL TOUR BY INSURGENCY COMMANDER.
- News arrived on December the 16th that commander Gaspar
- Ilom (Rodrigo Asturias) who is a member of the High
- Command of the Guatemala National Revolutionary Unity
- -URNG-, had ended his five days visit to New York, where
- he had been invited by the General Secretary of the United
- Nations (UN). The URNG informed by the way of a press
- released, that the rebel leader had had conversations with
- high level international leaders, high ranking officials
- "who are involved in Central America" and with embassadors
- from countries "concerned of the situation of Guatemala",
- including the President of the Security Council. The text
- indicates that Asturias explained to this people the place
- at which the Guatemalan negotiation process is hung up and
- the reasons for its stalling. The document affirms that
- now the Salvadorean conflict has been ended, the situation
- of conflict in Guatemala "appears to be the principal
- obstacle to peace and development in Central America".
- Because of the continued violation of Human Rights "the
- Guatemalan situation will become a destabilizing factor
- for the whole region". The guerrilla command whilst
- ratifying its willingness to achieve a political solution
- both to "the armed conflict" and to "the social, political
- and economic conditions which produced the conflict",
- rejects the "irresponsible statements" made by the
- Guatemalan Government, claiming that the guerrillas are
- preparing a military offensive "with arms that belonged to
- the salvadorean insurgency". The rebel organization
- reiterates their willingness to continue negotiations,
- "with the active participation of the UN" and ends by
- urging the Guatemalan Government to show "a similar
- willingness".
-
- QUEZADA T. SAYS NEW NEGOTIATING MEETING
- COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
-
- The mediator of the negotiation process between the
- Guatemalan Government and the National Revolutionary Unity
- -URNG- made a statement on December 17th rejecting "any
- possibility that there will be another meeting this year"
- between negotiating parties. As it is the end of the year
- he said that to have another meetings which would "result
- in returning to Guatemala empty handed and without signing
- the agreement on Human Rights would be COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
- He talked about the possibility of having another meeting
- at the beginning of 1993. This will depend on a closening
- of viewpoints on the issues between the parties, as at
- this time they both have their arguments and will have to
- come to an understanding. For his part, Miguel Angel
- Sandoval, a member of the URNG's Political Diplomatic
- Commission accused the Guatemalan Army of starting "an
- armed campaign with the obvious aim of blocking the
- negotiations and also of trying to reach a military
- solution to the armed conflict". This contradicts the
- words of president Jorge Serrano, who during the ceremony
- which put an end to the SALVADOREAN conflict, said "the
- route of negotiation is the only path leading to the
- achievement of peace". Sandoval said that this
- declarations in El Salvador were considered to be positive
- by the insurgency. Sandoval also said that a judicial
- system which works to maintain "absolute impunity in
- favour of the army and security forces" justifies the
- necessity of international verification procedures, given
- that failing this "the practice of impunity will continue
- without hope of improvements, sensitive to the needs of
- the population".
-
- POLITICS.
- NOBEL PRIZE PLACED IN 'GREAT TEMPLE'.
-
- On December the 18th in Mexico City the indigenous Quiche
- Nobel Prize winner "temporarily" deposited her medal and
- diploma at the museum of the Great Temple. Menchu said the
- award will be kept in Mexico because "currently in my
- country conditions of peace and security do not exist".
- "The prize will be kept in Mexico in recognition of the
- active role of Mexican government in seeking peace in
- Guatemala. As a permanent vigil for peace in my country
- the award will remain on Aztec soil" Menchu added.
- Mexican President Salinas de Gortari was invited to attend
- the ceremony as a "honorary witness" and he thanked
- Rigoberta for the invitation. He reminded her that in his
- country Mexico "we love and respect you, because you have
- never betrayed your people and you have always worked for
- and with the people". Some messages were also read at the
- ceremony including one from Gro Harlem Brundland who
- invited the Guatemalan Government and the URNG "to carry
- on with the negotiations in 1993". After the ceremony
- Mexican president hosted a banquet for Rigoberta Menchu
- which was attended by members of the Mexican Government,
- Diplomatic staff and Guatemalan exiles. In the afternoon
- Rigoberta attended a "popular gathering" (verbena
- popular)organized by Mexican popular organizations who
- asked her "to remain strong and never abandon us".
- MENCHU ARRIVES IN GUATEMALA.
- On December the 19th Rigoberta Menchu arrived at the
- Guatemalan International Airport "La Aurora". She was
- warmly welcomed by a massive gathering of people. She was
- received by two representatives of the Guatemalan
- Government, embassadors from the European Community,
- Mexico and other countries, and representatives of several
- Guatemalan popular and indigenous organizations. Menchu's
- flight to Guatemala was facilitated by Mexican President
- Salinas de Gortari. On her arrival in Guatemala Rigoberta
- regretted "coming to the end of yet another year of war in
- my country" and pointed to "the need for the dialogue to
- be unfrozen" from is stall. She highlighted the work done
- by Monsenor Rodolfo Quezada Toruno and the National
- Commission of Reconciliation "in their efforts towards
- achieving peace". Menchu denounced the harrasment that
- her family has been subjected to in the western province
- of Quiche. Nonetheless she assured of her determination
- "to keep on working for Human Rights: because above all I
- am a woman who has never had anything good in my hands and
- now that I have something I would like to share it".
- Meanwhile, the secretary for Political Affairs Juan Daniel
- Aleman, invited Rigoberta Menchu to meet next week with
- president Jorge Serrano.
- CONFLICT BETWEEN MUNICIPAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENTS.
- Faced with the general problem generated by the Coalition
- of Transport Owners order to stop transport services the
- Serrano Elias Government accused the municipal government
- of Guatemala City of being responsible for the "crisis in
- the service". The conflict between the two levels of
- government was criticized by different social sectors
- because it has become evident that the conflict between
- the National Party of Advance -PAN- and the Movement for
- Solidarity Action -MAS- ignores the real consequences of
- the paralization of transport for the population. Leaders
- of diverse Labour and Popular sectors went to the National
- Palace and asked the Government to "postpone the subsidy
- cuts to the city government and to prioritize public
- transport service until a definite solution to the
- conflict is found". When they arrived to the Palace to
- talk to the President they rejected any possible increase
- in transport fares, stating that, it is the government
- obligation "to guarantee benefits for public services".
- They also p[roposed the creation of a multisectorial
- commission to find solutions to the problem. This
- commission would be made up "the government, the municipal
- government, transport owners, labour and popular
- sectors".
-
- HUMAN RIGHTS.
- HUMAN RIGHTS KEY FOR NEGOTIATIONS TO PROGRESS: RUOG
-
- On December the 19th it was learned that Frank la Rue
- member of the United Representation of the Guatemalan
- Opposition -RUOG- had declared that the issue of Human
- Rights is so important that "it will have to be solved
- soon with greater flexibility and with real willingness to
- respect Human Rights". La Rue affirmed that in Guatemala
- Human Rights continue to be violated. He said that
- discussions concerning numbers on this issue are not
- important and stressed the importance of an observation of
- "the standards of behavior of the authorities". At this
- moment it is evident that "Human Rights continue to be
- shamefully and significantly violated" he said. This is
- according to the number of denunciations we have receiver
- from the country". Another RUOG member Rolando Castillo
- Montalvo declared that currently in his opinion
- "conditions do not exist" for a return to Guatemala as he
- would like to, precisely because the disrespect for Human
- Rights. "I think a return to Guatemala is not feasible" he
- added. Raul Molina also a member of RUOG declared that
- instead of thinking of returning what is needed now is
- "to contribute to the efforts of civilian society to solve
- the country's problems and to help the peace process so go
- ahead". He added his demand for the full respect for Human
- Rights stating that this means "no more assassinations,
- no more kidnappings, no more torture, and no more
- persecution" for what people think or express. This will
- require a real exercising of democracy where tolerance
- would determine the right for everyone to participate and
- act.
-
- JOURNALIST WOUNDED BY SECURITY FORCES.
-
- On December the 21st it was learned that Alfredo Torres, a
- journalist and teacher at the school of communications of
- the University of San Carlos was wounded when he was shot
- by soldiers of the Presidential High Command. He was
- driving his car with a family member when the attack took
- place. He was taken to a hospital and his condition was
- said to be serious. Torres is a member of the Guatemalan
- Association of Journalists -APG-. In the days following
- the attack members of Torres' family denounced that "two
- people who were apparently members of security forces"
- came to their houses to indicate that they should not
- denounce the case. They did not heed this order because
- Alfredo Torres is a University teacher and an active
- journalist. Meanwhile on the afternoon of December 21st
- two large bombs exploded at the APG offices. This adds to
- the very large number of attacks against the press in this
- Central American country.
-
- JOURNALISTS ASK FOR INTERVENTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
- OMBUDSMAN
-
- On December the 15th it was learned that the National
- Council for the Defense of Journalists Rights,
- representing the Guatemalan press, asked Human Rights
- Ombudsman Ramiro de Leon Carpio to intervene and denounce
- the "harrasment, intimidator actions and attacks on the
- press" carried out by President Serrano Elias. They also
- asked him to call on Ombuds offices in other offices to
- declare themselves in solidarity with the Guatemalan
- media. They demanded a speeding up of the investigation
- into the case of Omar Cano, a reported from the daily
- newspaper Siglo XXI. Cano recently suffered an attack. De
- Leon Carpio offered to carry out a study of recent events
- including the recent accusations made by President Serrano
- Elias against the press in which he accused the press of
- being "subversive and destabilizing". He also offered to
- investigate attacks on the journalists Francisco Olmedo
- and Hector Garcia, and the forced exiles Nestor Hernandez
- and Axel Cocon. Marta Altolaguirre and Oscar Granados
- presidents of the Guatemalan Congress of Journalists and
- the Guatemala Association of Journalists respectively
- declared that the President "does not want peace" as
- evidenced by the 'huge elephant feet' which are trying to
- crush journalists. with this it is not even possible to
- think about a democratic system". They added that "in
- addition Serrano is trying to pit the press against the
- army" according to his speech on Guatemalan Air Force Day
- where clear threats against the press were made. Some
- parliamentarians made statements in the same vain.
- Montepeque Contreras declared that in confronting "a lot
- of social sectors" President Serrano is acting as an "
- omnipotent person determinedly against the free expression
- of thoughts". Hector Luna Troccolly declared that Serrano
- Elias had made a mistake by starting to attack the
- National Press "after attacking other sectors".
-
- INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION DENOUNCES PEASANT
- SITUATION.
-
- News arrived on December the 15th that the International
- Centre for Labour Solidarity -CISO- had issued a document
- where they denounced "the inhuman and bad health
- conditions" which have been suffered during the last five
- months by 450 peasant in Cajola, Quetzaltenango. CISO
- declared that the conditions this people are subjected to
- "constitutes one of the gravest violations of Human
- Rights" as the group which consist of "old people, adults,
- children and pregnant women are living without roofs over
- their heads, without water, without sanitary services and
- they depend on charity to eat". At the same time the
- international organization warned of a possible spread of
- diseases such as; cholera, gastroenteritis and
- tuberculosis as a consequence of this living conditions.
- CISO demanded that the Serrano Elias Government provide
- this people with "shelter, water, food, health care and
- education" and resolve at the same time "with urgency" the
- peasants claim for the return of their lands which have
- been in process since 1989. Meanwhile, CISO assured that
- "they will give information about this case to the
- Canadian Government and the UN". On the other hand the
- Constitutional Court confirmed a sentence in its fourth
- stage of appeals against the director of the National
- Police Jose Maria Melendez for violations of "the right of
- movement, meeting, and peaceful protest" of more than two
- hundred peasants in Cajola on July the 21st. At the same
- time, the highest judicial organization denied an appeal
- by Melendez denying that elements of the 'antiriot squad'
- attacked the peasants "with arms an chemical gases" and
- detained them "for some time".
-
- POPULAR MOVEMENT.
- PROTEST AGAINST APPROVAL OF BILL.
-
- News arrived on the 15th of December of a protest against
- bill 72-92 which was approved by the Congress of the
- Republic at the beginning of December. Dozens of
- protesters, including members of student organizations,
- unionists and people from various communities in the
- Northern province of Peten carried out a march in the
- Provincial Capital ending in the Central Square. During
- the protest people expressed their tiredness at seeing
- "smugglers with the support of authorities using the
- natural resources of the provinces as if they were their
- own". They also noted that "the powerful groups make
- themselves richer every time". With respect to the bill
- protesters signaled that it serves only "to protect the
- smuggles logging activities" given that to date many
- people before the bill have cut "all the trees they want
- to". They accused members of parliament Guillermo Pellezer
- Robles, Eduardo Mendez Pinelo and Eduardo Tager Matus for
- lending themselves to "the dirty game of wood smuggling in
- approving the bill".
-
-
- CHURCH.
- THREATS AGAINST JOURNALISTS SIGN OF WEAKNESS;
- ARCHBISHOP.
-
- The Archbishop of Guatemala Monsenor Prospero Penados del
- Barrio stated on December the 16th that anonymous threats
- against journalists "are no more than a bribery campaign
- and reflect the weakness of those who make them". The
- archbishop claimed that some of these threats are painful
- "especially when people have family" and he cited the case
- of journalist Axel Cocon who had to leave the country
- "because of the threats he received". In addition the
- archbishop noted that the attitude of those who harass the
- press shows "lack of nobility and those who do this are
- irresponsible people who throw stones and then hide their
- hands". For their part the Council for the Defense of
- Journalists Rights announced that they will ask the
- Archbishop for the support of the Catholic Church
- "considering that blatant threats continue from official
- sectors". At the same time they exposed "the accusations
- made by the President against them".
-
- PARTICIPATION OF PROTESTANT SECTORS INCREASES.
-
- According to Jose David Son Vice-president of the
- Congregation of Evangelical Churches of Guatemala -CIEDEG-
- "we are the voice of protestants in the national problems
- and in the peace process. If we do not do this there will
- be a void". According to a report on religion in
- Guatemala by a US journalist Trish O'Kane, which was
- published in report #299 of the Regional Centre for
- Religious Information - CRIE- in Mexico, "progressive
- protestants" have to face the great majority of
- evangelical congregations" which belong to the ultra
- conservative Evangelical Alliance. The Evangelical
- Alliance promotes values in the 'spiritualist line' the report says.
- O'Kane emphasizes that currently 35% of the Guatemalan population "now
- belongs to evangelical churches or to sects". The percentage has
- increased astronomically during the last decade owing to "the
- counterinsurgency campaigns developed by the United States in Central
- America to fight against the guerrilla movements".
- In response to the proliferation of these groups and sects
- CIEDEG was formed in 1987 "to join together protestants
- worried about the problems of the country". Their main
- objective "is to be a platform for progressive protestant
- thinking" distinct from Government positions according to
- David Son who was interviewed by O'Kane. Miguel Palacios
- who is also a leader of CIEDEG and a force behind the
- movement 'Journeys for Life and Peace" which began in 1990
- as an initiative of the Catholic Church and some
- Protestants, affirmed that currently the different
- churches are coordinating "the return of refugees and
- their role in the dialogue between the Government and the
- URNG". In this they are working in the creation of the
- coalition of civil organizations "which is pressuring the
- Government to participate in the process of pacification".
- In this way protestants "have won a space for themselves
- in society" because of this they have also being an object
- of harrasment concludes David Son.
-
-
- SOCIAL SITUATION.
- TRANSPORT
-
- News arrived on December the 18th that owners of urban
- transport in the Guatemalan Capital had ordered the
- suspension of services owing to the government
- announcement that they would remove transport subsidies.
- They are demanding a return of subsidies. The action
- adopted by bus owners affected thousands of people in the
- city and produced several transit accidents. The Human
- Rights Ombudsman, Ramiro de Leon Carpio, stated that the
- suspension of transport "could be the spark which causes
- the biggest social explosion in history in Guatemala" as
- both Government and Municipal authorities seem to regard
- the problem "as if were a foot-ball match". For their
- part the Guatemalan Municipality sent a memo to various
- government offices asking them to work together to find a
- solution to the problem of the transport stoppage. In the
- memo they informed of their decision to intervene with
- "legal sanctions against bus owners for suspending the
- service". They also ask for a government decree allowing
- the military to take over services. The measures adopted
- by the municipality were questioned by bus drivers who
- stated that the major "instead of finding peaceful
- solutions is using force and omnipotence". They indicated
- that in this conflict they are the worse affected owing to
- the low salaries they are paid, and they took advantage of
- the situation to ask for a salary increase.
-
- COUNTERINSURGENCY
- PAC MEMBERS IMPOSE CURFEW.
-
- Residents of the rural area in the east of Quiche province
- denounced on December the 15th that members of the Civil
- Defense Patrols -PAC- continue to impose a curfew in
- different villages. The villagers revealed that the
- curfew begins at 1800hrs, and ends at 0600 in the morning.
- They consider this to be a flagrant violation of their
- rights to "free movement, given that we are supposed to be
- living under a democratic government". The residents of
- the area urged the relevant authorities "to reconsider
- this measure" which is affecting them and to work for "the
- benefit of honorable hard-working people.(END).
-
- Enfoprensa is a non-profit, independent Guatemalan news
- agency based in Mexico city. The news is brought to Web in
- English by Enfoprensa Canada. For more information or (very
- welcome) donations you can contact Enfoprensa Canada at
- 455-810 West Broadway, Vancouver B.C. V5Z 4C9 Canada. Or
- contact us via Web. Please feel free to reproduce any of
- this information citing Enfoprensa as the source. See you
- next week!
- ** End of text from cdp:reg.guatemala **
-
-