Guatemala
03.11.00
Urgent Interventions
Guatemala: summary executions
Urgent Appeal - The Observatory
GTM 008 / 0011 / OBS 111
summary executions
GUATEMALA
3 November 2000
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of FIDH and the OMCT, requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Guatemala.
Brief Description of the Situation
The Observatory wishes to express its grave concern over the deaths of Mrs Maura Ofelia Paniagua González and Carlos Palma García. Marua Ofelia Paniagua was a jurist in the popular law office of the San Carlos university and an active member of the movement of Guatemalan women, Carlos Palma García was a university student and a member of the Association of Dispersed Refugees (ARDIGUA) and a member of the peasant’s movement.
According to information from the group GuaUnidos (Guatemalans and friends of Guatemala), based on information from the Alliance against Impunity, Maura Ofelia Paniagua González was murdered on 31 October 2000 by heavily armed men, who came to her home, tricked her into coming out of her house and then shot her repeatedly .
The same source reported that on 26 October 2000, armed men kidnapped university student Carlos Palma García. His body was found the 27th of October with signs of strangulation.
Furthermore, these grave incidents follow those of 24 October 2000 when armed men attacked the offices of the "Association Woman Let's go Forward" - AMVA - (see urgent appeal GTM 021100 VAW) as well as, more generally, other attacks on life, physical security and the freedom of members of various organisations.
The Observatory reiterates its firm condemnation of theses attacks and any other violation of human rights, in particular violence against people and organisations who work for the defence of human rights.
Requested Action:
Write to the Guatemalan authorities urging them to:
ii. adopt all necessary measures in order prevent any other attacks on those people who work in the field of human rights;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these deaths in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iii. ensure the implementation of the Declaration on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, adopted on the 9th of December 1998, by the U.N. General Assembly in particular Article 1 which notes that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels” and Article 12.2 which mandates that “The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration.”
iv. more generally abide by the Universal declaration on Human Rights and Covenants and international Conventions ratified by Guatemala.
Addresses
S.E. Alfonso Portillo, Presidente de la República de Guatemala, Palacio Nacional, Guatemala, Guatemala. Fax : (+ 502) 2214537 ó 334 16 15 ó 230-1508. E-mail : secgralp@infovia.com.gt
Sr. Guillermo Ruiz Wong, Ministro de Gobernación, Ministerio de Gobernación, Palacio Nacional, 6 Calle y 7 Avenida, Guatemala, Guatemala. Fax : + 502 362 02 39
Sr Procurador para los Derechos Humanos, 12 Avenida 12-72, Zona 1, Guatemala, Guatemala. Fax: (+502) 238 17 34.
Lic. Adolfo González Rodas, Fiscal General de la Nación, Ministerio Público, 6 Av 3-11, Zona 4, Guatemala. Guatemala. Fax : + 502 331 4336
Lic. Gabriel Orellana, Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Palacio Nacional, 6 Calle y 7 Avenida, Zona 1, Guatemala, Guatemala. Fax : (+ 502) 251 8445
E-mail : mint@mieno.gt
Comisión Presidencial de Derechos Humanos (Copredeh) E-mail:copredeh@guate.net
Geneva - Paris, 3 November 2000
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken, quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a joint FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
To contact the Observatory, call the Emergency Line: Fax : 33 (0) 1 55 80 83 92
Tel. : FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT : + 41 22 809 49 39
E-mail observatoire@iprolink.ch
GTM 008 / 0011 / OBS 111
summary executions
GUATEMALA
3 November 2000
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of FIDH and the OMCT, requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Guatemala.
Brief Description of the Situation
The Observatory wishes to express its grave concern over the deaths of Mrs Maura Ofelia Paniagua González and Carlos Palma García. Marua Ofelia Paniagua was a jurist in the popular law office of the San Carlos university and an active member of the movement of Guatemalan women, Carlos Palma García was a university student and a member of the Association of Dispersed Refugees (ARDIGUA) and a member of the peasant’s movement.
According to information from the group GuaUnidos (Guatemalans and friends of Guatemala), based on information from the Alliance against Impunity, Maura Ofelia Paniagua González was murdered on 31 October 2000 by heavily armed men, who came to her home, tricked her into coming out of her house and then shot her repeatedly .
The same source reported that on 26 October 2000, armed men kidnapped university student Carlos Palma García. His body was found the 27th of October with signs of strangulation.
Furthermore, these grave incidents follow those of 24 October 2000 when armed men attacked the offices of the "Association Woman Let's go Forward" - AMVA - (see urgent appeal GTM 021100 VAW) as well as, more generally, other attacks on life, physical security and the freedom of members of various organisations.
The Observatory reiterates its firm condemnation of theses attacks and any other violation of human rights, in particular violence against people and organisations who work for the defence of human rights.
Requested Action:
Write to the Guatemalan authorities urging them to:
ii. adopt all necessary measures in order prevent any other attacks on those people who work in the field of human rights;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these deaths in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iii. ensure the implementation of the Declaration on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, adopted on the 9th of December 1998, by the U.N. General Assembly in particular Article 1 which notes that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels” and Article 12.2 which mandates that “The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration.”
iv. more generally abide by the Universal declaration on Human Rights and Covenants and international Conventions ratified by Guatemala.
Addresses
S.E. Alfonso Portillo, Presidente de la República de Guatemala, Palacio Nacional, Guatemala, Guatemala. Fax : (+ 502) 2214537 ó 334 16 15 ó 230-1508. E-mail : secgralp@infovia.com.gt
Sr. Guillermo Ruiz Wong, Ministro de Gobernación, Ministerio de Gobernación, Palacio Nacional, 6 Calle y 7 Avenida, Guatemala, Guatemala. Fax : + 502 362 02 39
Sr Procurador para los Derechos Humanos, 12 Avenida 12-72, Zona 1, Guatemala, Guatemala. Fax: (+502) 238 17 34.
Lic. Adolfo González Rodas, Fiscal General de la Nación, Ministerio Público, 6 Av 3-11, Zona 4, Guatemala. Guatemala. Fax : + 502 331 4336
Lic. Gabriel Orellana, Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Palacio Nacional, 6 Calle y 7 Avenida, Zona 1, Guatemala, Guatemala. Fax : (+ 502) 251 8445
E-mail : mint@mieno.gt
Comisión Presidencial de Derechos Humanos (Copredeh) E-mail:copredeh@guate.net
Geneva - Paris, 3 November 2000
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken, quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a joint FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
To contact the Observatory, call the Emergency Line: Fax : 33 (0) 1 55 80 83 92
Tel. : FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT : + 41 22 809 49 39
E-mail observatoire@iprolink.ch