Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA

April 11, 2007

FOUR DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS RAIDED

On April 5, 2007, in the middle of the night, three development organizations in Guatemala were raided. Assailants broke through two metal doors to gain access to the offices of TROCAIRE, an Irish development agency; ACSUR Las Segovias, a Spanish non-governmental organization; and Colectivo Poder y Desarrollo Local (CPDL), a Guatemalan development agency.

Breaking through the individual office doors of each organization, the perpetrators stole six computers, two digital cameras, one scanner, two USB flash drives, two monitors, and one cell phone. Nevertheless, the assailants left other items of considerable valuable that they could have easily carried. The stolen computers, cameras, and flash drives contained valuable information pertaining to the organizations’ projects to promote sustainable development and enhance citizen participation.

That same day, the CARE International office in Guatemala was broken into. The perpetrators stole laptops, one monitor, and several CDs that contained valuable information about their projects. Likewise, in this case, the assailants left behind much more valuable equipment.

These break-ins have crippled the capacity of these organizations to execute their projects and vital endeavors. These attacks seem to be intended to intimidate the four development organizations and to halt their programs to bring about a more just, democratic, and sustainable Guatemala. Their ability to perform this work is now greatly reduced.

For two of the organizations, this is not the first time they have been attacked. Since early January 2007, perpetrators have stolen one all terrain vehicle from TROCAIRE and tried to steal another. CPDL also suffered an attempted robbery of two of its vehicles. In addition, one month ago, a CPDL employee was assaulted and robbed a few meters from the office.

TAKE ACTION HERE!

GHRC is asking you to take urgent action. B ecause of these attacks against these four premier development agencies, we are concerned about the rise in violence and intimidation against these organizations and others that promote sustainable development in Guatemala. Therefore, we ask that you profess your solidarity with the Guatemalan development organizations by sending a fax (if someone answers say ''tono de fax por favor''), hand written letter, or email to the Attorney General and the Vice President of Guatemala:

• Expressing concern for the safety of the offices and personnel of TROCAIRE, ACSUR Las Segovias, CPDL, and CARE International;
• Urging the Attorney General to carry out thorough and independent investigations into the recent break-ins and raids of their offices;
• Calling on the Vice President to publicly condemn these attacks and threats against development organizations;
• Calling on the Vice President to publicly recognize the legitimacy and importance of the work performed by development and human rights agencies in Guatemala; and
• Reminding the authorities of their obligations to recognize the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders and development workers and their right to carry out their activities without any restrictions or fear of reprisals, as set out in the UN Declaration on the Rights and Responsibilities of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms;

Unless we take action today, these organizations, their personnel, and other human rights defenders and development workers may face future threats, attacks, intimidation, and even attempts on their lives. You can send your own message or send GHRC’s drafted message, pasted below. Moreover, we ask that you carbon copy your email, or send a copy to the Guatemalan Ambassador to the US or the Guatemalan Ambassador to Canada (depending on where you reside) and GHRC’s office at ghrc-usa@ghrc-usa.org - so that we may be able to thank you for taking action. Thank you for your time and solidarity with human rights defenders in Guatemala.

[Information for this Urgent Action has been compiled from a statement released by TROCAIRE, ACSUR Las Segovias, and CPDL, along with direct information provided by CARE International and the Committee of International Accompaniment in Guatemala. We appreciate their contributions!]

 

DRAFTED MESSAGES READY TO SEND!

Attorney General and Head of the Public Prosecutor's Office:
Fiscal General de la Republica y Jefe del Ministerio Publico
Lic. Juan Luis Florido
15 avenida 15-16
Zona 1, Barrio Gerona, 8vo. Nivel
Guatemala, Guatemala
Fax: 011 502 2411 9124

Estimado Sr. Fiscal General / Dear Attorney General,

I write to express my grave concern about the recent raids of four development organizations in Guatemala that occurred on April 5, 2007. I recently learned of the break-ins of the offices of TROCAIRE, an Irish development agency; ACSUR Las Segovias, a Spanish non-governmental organization; Colectivo Poder y Desarrollo Local (CPDL), a Guatemalan development agency; and CARE International, an international development NGO. I am fearful that these development organizations and the lives of their personnel are in grave danger as a result of these and prior attacks.

I ask that the Guatemalan authorities order an immediate, thorough, and impartial investigation into the break-ins and robberies of invaluable equipment, and ultimately bring the responsible perpetrators of these crimes to justice.

In addition, I want to remind the Guatemalan government of its obligations to recognize the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders and development workers and their right to carry out their activities without any restrictions or fear of reprisals, as set out in the UN Declaration on the Rights and Responsibilities of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Please use the full extent of your influence to ensure that a thorough investigation is carried out and that TROCAIRE, ASCSUR Las Segovias, CPDL, CARE International, and their personnel are safe from future threats, acts of intimidation, and attacks. I thank you for your time and attention to this letter.

With grave concern,

YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS HERE

 

 

Vice President of Guatemala
Vicepresidente de la República de Guatemala
Lic. Eduardo Stein Barillas
Casa Presidencial, 6a. Avenida 4-18, Zona 1
Guatemala, Guatemala
Fax: 011 502 2253 0801
Email: vicepresidente@scspr.gob.gt

Estimado Sr. Vicepresidente / Dear Vice President

I write to express my grave concern about the recent raids of four development organizations in Guatemala that occurred on April 5, 2007. I recently learned of the break-ins of the offices of TROCAIRE, an Irish development agency; ACSUR Las Segovias, a Spanish non-governmental organization; Colectivo Poder y Desarrollo Local (CPDL), a Guatemalan development agency; and CARE International, an international development NGO. I am fearful that these development organizations and the lives of their personnel are in grave danger as a result of these and prior attacks.

I ask that you closely monitor an immediate, thorough, and impartial investigation into the break-ins and robberies of invaluable equipment, and ultimately bring the responsible perpetrators of these crimes to justice.

Moreover, I call on you to publicly condemn these attacks and threats against these development organizations, and to publicly recognize the legitimacy and importance of the work performed by human rights defenders and development workers in Guatemala.

In addition, I want to remind the Guatemalan government of its obligations to recognize the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders and development workers and their right to carry out their activities without any restrictions or fear of reprisals, as set out in the UN Declaration on the Rights and Responsibilities of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Please use the full extent of your influence to ensure that a thorough investigation is carried out and that TROCAIRE, ASCSUR Las Segovias, CPDL, CARE International, and their personnel are safe from future threats, acts of intimidation, and attacks. In addition, please publicly denounce these attacks and recognize the important endeavors of human rights defenders and development workers in Guatemala. I thank you for your time and attention to this letter.

With grave concern,

YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS HERE

  

PLEASE SEND FAX COPIES OR CARBON COPIES TO:

 

Ambassador Jose Guillermo Castillo to US
Embassy of Guatemala
2220 R St. NW
Washington DC 20008
Fax: 1 202 745 1908
Email: ambassador@guatemala-embassy.org

Ambassador Carlos Humberto Jiménez to CANADA
Embassy of Guatemala
130 Albert Street; Suite 1010
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5G4
Tel: 1 613 233-7188
Fax: 1 613 233-0135

Guatemala Human Rights Commission- USA
GHRC-USA
3321 12th St, NE
Washington , DC 20017
Fax: 202-526-4611
ghrc-usa@ghrc-usa.org

 

Home | Site Map | Contact Us

3321 12th Street NE, Washington, DC 20017

This site is maintained by the Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA
as a means of informing the general public of the Commission's work
on behalf of the people of Guatemala