On March 15, in Colotenango, Huehuetenango, at least two demonstrators protesting the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) were shot and killed by Guatemalan army forces.

The men who were shot to death were Juan López, from the village of Xemal, Colotenango, and Ical resident José Sanchez Gómez, who died from his wounds in the hospital. Both were members of the Campesino Unity Committee (CUC). According to CUC, at 6:30 in the morning on March 15, CUC members gathered to demonstrate peacefully, along with members of the National Indigenous and Campesino Committee (CONIC), the Association for Community Promotion and Development (CEIBA), MAMA MAQUIN, MAGISTERIO, and the National Coordinating Committee of the Displaced of Guatemala (CONDEG).

Guatemalan farmer Juan Lopez from Xemal was shot dead by armed forces.

The demonstrators were blocking the Inter-American Highway as a form of protest when, as CUC reports, a contingent of police from the departmental seat of Huehuetenango faced off aggressively with demonstrators, while army troops surrounded the protestors. At around midday, without a word, the government forces began to throw tear gas into the crowd towards the women and children, and opened fire on the men. In addition to the two men killed, at least ten protestors were injured, two critically. The Center of Informative Reports of Guatemala (CERIGUA) reports that the number of injured reached fifty.

The names of some of the wounded:
Marcos Pérez
Santiago Morales
Jose Gomez Sánchez
Domingo Ramos
Miguel Angel Velásquez
Pedro Pablo Domingo

Injured Guatemalan protester receives help from a friend.

Prior to the shootings, CEIBA had reportedly learned that the army planned to surround protestors and attack them.

The Associated Press wrote "Mauro Guzman, mayor of Huehuetenango, a city near the site of the protest, said police were fired upon." However, Mauro Guzmán is the governor of the department of Huehuetenango, and not the mayor of the town of the same name.

BACKGROUND:
On March 10, the Guatemalan Congress ratified CAFTA. On Monday, March 14, about 4,000 demonstrators opposed to the agreement rallied in the streets in Guatemala City. Police used tear gas and a water cannon to disperse them after police were pelted with rocks and bottles. Nineteen people were injured and 16 were detained.

The government and the leaders of civil society reached an agreement on the evening of March 14 to initiate a dialogue process, to be mediated by Cardinal Rodolfo Quezada Toruno, with the aim of ending the violent protests of the previous few days by coming to some agreements regarding the trade agreement. Nonetheless, before any meeting was held, President Óscar Berger on March 15 bypassed the dialogue process and gave CAFTA his full approval.

Vice-president Eduardo Stein is meeting today, March 16, with leaders of the movement opposed to CAFTA to try to defuse mounting tension over the treaty. It is not clear how Stein will seek to placate the protesters now that CAFTA is a fait accompli. The protesters want CAFTA to be put to a national referendum.

The protesters are also calling for the interior minister, Carlos Vielmann, and the director of the National Civil Police, Erwin Sperissen, to be removed from office and want a response from the government to their demands by today, March 16.

ACTION REQUESTED:

1. Express concern about the recent extra-judicial executions carried out by the government security forces in Colotenango, Huehuetenango

2. Urge President Berger to negotiate an end to such conflicts rather than allow repressive measures to be taken by the security forces.

3. Calling on the government to carry out an immediate, impartial and exhaustive investigation into the killing of Juan López and José Sanchez Gómez, to make the results public and bring those responsible to justice

APPEALS TO: (if a voice answers a fax number, ask 'me pued e dar el tono de fax, por favor')
Presidente de la República de Guatemala
Licenciado Óscar Berger Perdomo
Casa Presidencial, 6 a. Avenida, 4-18 zona 1
Ciudad de Guatemala
GUATEMALA
Email: presidente@scspr.gob.gt
Salutation: Excelentísimo Sr. Presidente/Dear President

Minister of the Interior
Carlos Vielman Ministro de Gobernacion
6a.Avenida 4-64, zona 4, nivel 3
Ciudad de Guatemala
GUATEMALA
Fax: 011502 362 0237
Email: ministro@mingob.gob.gt
Salutation: Senor Ministro/ Dear Minister

Attorney General
Juan Luis Florido
Fiscal General Fiscalia General del Ministerio Publico
8a. Avenida 10-67, Zona 1
Ciudad Guatemala
GUATEMALA
Fax: 011 502 251 2218
Salutation: Estimado Fiscal General/Dear Sir

COPIES TO:
Embassy of Guatemala
2220 R St. NW
Washington DC 20008
Fax: 1 202 745 1908
Email: ambassador@guatemala-embassy.org

Guatemala Human Rights Commission
Ghrc-usa@ghrc-usa.org

For more information contact the Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA
at
Guatemala Human Rights Commission
3321 12th St. NE
Washington DC 20017
202.529.6599
fax - 202.526.4611
ghrc-usa@ghrc-usa.org
www.ghrc-usa.org