Mario Antonio GodÌnez LÛpez, General Coordinator of the Association for the Promotion and Development of the Community (CEIBA), has received a serious threat. On July 7 at 7:40 A.M, the following faxed message arrived at his office in the town of Buena Vista, Chimaltenango:
Huehuetenango, June 29, 2005 URGENT NOTICE
Mario GodÌnez
We inform you that the latest destabilizing actions carried out by your organization have provoked discontent and indignation in the organizations working for peace in the department.
We recommend:
That you abstain from carrying out meetings of more than twenty people in any place because we will understand this as an act of new provocation and we will react in response to your destabilizing actions.
We recommend a great deal of prudence in what you plan from here on out in the communities and in the department.
Sincerely Yours,
HUEHUETENANGO GROUP OF ACTION FOR PEACE
Background
CEIBA supports and coordinates work on various issues with a number of organizations. Mario GodÌnez has recently coordinated and strengthened work against mining concessions authorized for nineteen communities in Huehuetenango. He has also been very active in the struggle against the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement. His organization participated in the demonstration against DR-CAFTA in March that left one campesino with injuries requiring the amputation of a leg (CEIBA is continues to provide him with medical assistance), and one teacher dead, the victim of an extrajudicial execution. CEIBA is supporting the Campesino Unity Committee, a co-plaintiff in the law suit related to the teacherÇs murder. On March 16, the day after the demonstration, unidentified, armed men went to GodÌnezÇs office and asked for the director of CEIBA or the deputy director of CEIBA. Mario GodÌnez was not in the country at the time. In April, GodÌnez traveled to the United States to lobby against DR-CAFTA with a delegation led by Monsignor Ramazzini, the Archbishop of San Marcos, who has also been threatened with death. On that occasion a Guatemalan congressman accused GodÌnez of having links to parallel powers in Guatemala. Mario GodÌnez has currently left his workplace to protect himself.
Requested Action
Contact the Guatemalan authorities and express serious concern about the threat received by Mario GodÌnez . Urge them to:
... Guarantee the safety of Mario GodÌnez and his family and all others who work with with CEIBA, according to their wishes. ... Investigate the threat thoroughly and prosecute those responsible. ... Ensure that CEIBA can proceed with its peaceful, legitimate work.
APPEALS TO:
Presidente de la Rep™blica de Guatemala Licenciado "scar Berger Perdomo Casa Presidencial, 6 a. Avenida, 4-18 zona 1 Ciudad de Guatemala GUATEMALA Email: presidente@scspr.gob.gt Salutation: ExcelentÌsimo Sr. Presidente/Dear President Fax: 502 2251 2218 Salutation: Etimado Fiscal General/Dear Sir
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
Minister of the Interior Ministro de Gobernacion Carlos Vielman 6a.Avenida 4-64, zona 4, nivel 3 Ciudad de Guatemala Guatemala Fax: 011 502 2362 0237 Email: ministro@mingob.gob.gt Salutation: Senor Ministro/ Dear Minister
COPIES TO:
Ambassador Jose Guillermo Castillo Embassy of Guatemala 2220 R St. NW Washington DC 20008 Fax: 1 202 745 1908 email: ambassador@guatemala-embassy.org
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
Guatemala Human Rights Commission- USA GHRC-USA 3321 12th St, NE Washington, DC 20017 202-529-6599 202-526-4611 fax ghrc-usa@ghrc-usa.org www.ghrc-usa.org
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