Guatemala
02.05.01
Urgent Interventions
Guatemala: 12 files missing from Casa Alianza office
URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
GTM 002/ 0105 / OBS 029.1*
12 files missing from Casa Alianza office
GUATEMALA
2nd May 2001
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Guatemala.
New information
The Observatory has been informed by Casa Alianza that 12 files are missing from its offices in Guatemala City.
According to the information received, following the ransacking of its offices on April 2nd, 2001, Casa Alianza has determined that 12 active files concerning street children in Guatemala City have been stolen from its archives. (An active file is that of an actual street child or youth with whom Casa Alianza is working at the present time, all of whom are between the ages of 14 and 22). The files are those of: Laura Escobedo; Gudelio Palacios; Marcelino Pichilla; Karla Patricia Melgar; Leopoldo Aleman; Alejandro Saquic; Sandra Ruano; Javier Cortez Monje; Alejandra Nineth Azurdia; Jimmy Alexander Fernandez; Jose Luis Guillen and Julissa Marisol Rojas.
Casa Alianza is reportedly unsure of why these precise files were taken, but is currently searching for the children in question to ensure that they are well. The incident has been reported to the authorities, but no further investigative actions have been undertaken by them, accoding to the information received.
Brief reminder of the situation
The Observatory has been informed by Casa Alianza that, on the morning of April 2, 2001, the agency’s offices on the 4th Avenue in Zone 1 of Guatemala City had been broken into and a series of files had been ransacked.
According to the information received, at least two unidentified people broke into the second floor of the two storey office building which houses the Casa Alianza Street Educators and the Legal Aid Program. The street educators’ metal files, where the information on the individual street children attended to in the street is stored, were forced open and hundreds of files were strewn around. It is as yet unclear whether any files were stolen, but two digital cameras have been reported missing.
The break-in comes at a time when several other non-governmental agencies in Guatemala have also reported burglaries, according to Casa Alianza, who’s offices had also received a series of strange phone calls and increasingly frequent visits by the police during the week preceding this incident. The break-in and theft were immediately reported to the police and investigative authorities, who, according to the information received, were able to find several sets of finger-prints at the scene of the crime.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Guatemala urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the street children in question;
ii. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iii. take all necessary measures to stop any kind of harassment against human rights defenders and their organisations;
iv. ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders in particular its Article 1 which provides that "Every person has the right, individually or collectively, to promote the protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental liberties at the national and international level" and its article 5.b which provides that “for the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the rights, individually or in association with others, at the national and international levels to form, join and participate in non-governmental organisations, associations or groups."
v. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
S.E. Alfonso Antonio Portillo Cabrera, Presidente de la República de Guatemala, Palacio Nacional, Guatemala, Guatemala. Fax : + 502 221 44 23 or 334 16 15 or 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
Lic. Julio Eduardo Arango Escobar , Procurador de Derechos Humanos, Procuraduria de los Derechos Humanos, 12 Avenida 12-72, Zona 1, Guatemala 01001, GUATEMALA, Fax: + 502 238 1734 or 2535712 or E-mail: opdhg@guatenet.net.gt
Lic. Adolfo González Rodas, Fiscal General de la Nación, Ministerio Público, 6 Av 3-11, Zona 4, Guatemala. Guatemala. Fax : + 502 331 4336
Sr. Victor Hugo Monroy, Director of the Guatemalan Government's Human Rights Office, fax +502-334-1615 or E-mail : copredeh@guate.net
Please also write to the embassies of Guatemala in your respective country.
Geneva-Paris, May 2nd, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
GTM 002/ 0105 / OBS 029.1*
12 files missing from Casa Alianza office
GUATEMALA
2nd May 2001
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Guatemala.
New information
The Observatory has been informed by Casa Alianza that 12 files are missing from its offices in Guatemala City.
According to the information received, following the ransacking of its offices on April 2nd, 2001, Casa Alianza has determined that 12 active files concerning street children in Guatemala City have been stolen from its archives. (An active file is that of an actual street child or youth with whom Casa Alianza is working at the present time, all of whom are between the ages of 14 and 22). The files are those of: Laura Escobedo; Gudelio Palacios; Marcelino Pichilla; Karla Patricia Melgar; Leopoldo Aleman; Alejandro Saquic; Sandra Ruano; Javier Cortez Monje; Alejandra Nineth Azurdia; Jimmy Alexander Fernandez; Jose Luis Guillen and Julissa Marisol Rojas.
Casa Alianza is reportedly unsure of why these precise files were taken, but is currently searching for the children in question to ensure that they are well. The incident has been reported to the authorities, but no further investigative actions have been undertaken by them, accoding to the information received.
Brief reminder of the situation
The Observatory has been informed by Casa Alianza that, on the morning of April 2, 2001, the agency’s offices on the 4th Avenue in Zone 1 of Guatemala City had been broken into and a series of files had been ransacked.
According to the information received, at least two unidentified people broke into the second floor of the two storey office building which houses the Casa Alianza Street Educators and the Legal Aid Program. The street educators’ metal files, where the information on the individual street children attended to in the street is stored, were forced open and hundreds of files were strewn around. It is as yet unclear whether any files were stolen, but two digital cameras have been reported missing.
The break-in comes at a time when several other non-governmental agencies in Guatemala have also reported burglaries, according to Casa Alianza, who’s offices had also received a series of strange phone calls and increasingly frequent visits by the police during the week preceding this incident. The break-in and theft were immediately reported to the police and investigative authorities, who, according to the information received, were able to find several sets of finger-prints at the scene of the crime.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Guatemala urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the street children in question;
ii. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iii. take all necessary measures to stop any kind of harassment against human rights defenders and their organisations;
iv. ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders in particular its Article 1 which provides that "Every person has the right, individually or collectively, to promote the protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental liberties at the national and international level" and its article 5.b which provides that “for the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the rights, individually or in association with others, at the national and international levels to form, join and participate in non-governmental organisations, associations or groups."
v. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
S.E. Alfonso Antonio Portillo Cabrera, Presidente de la República de Guatemala, Palacio Nacional, Guatemala, Guatemala. Fax : + 502 221 44 23 or 334 16 15 or 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
Lic. Julio Eduardo Arango Escobar , Procurador de Derechos Humanos, Procuraduria de los Derechos Humanos, 12 Avenida 12-72, Zona 1, Guatemala 01001, GUATEMALA, Fax: + 502 238 1734 or 2535712 or E-mail: opdhg@guatenet.net.gt
Lic. Adolfo González Rodas, Fiscal General de la Nación, Ministerio Público, 6 Av 3-11, Zona 4, Guatemala. Guatemala. Fax : + 502 331 4336
Sr. Victor Hugo Monroy, Director of the Guatemalan Government's Human Rights Office, fax +502-334-1615 or E-mail : copredeh@guate.net
Please also write to the embassies of Guatemala in your respective country.
Geneva-Paris, May 2nd, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.