Amnesty International -  Fear for safety - Peasant Farmers of  Peasants' Unity Committee(CUC)

URGENT ACTION APPEAL

Reposted with permission of Amnesty International

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15 August 2002
Further information on UA 200/02 issued 2 July 2002 - Fear for safety

GUATEMALA:

Arturo Felipe Molina, a member of the community organization, Asociacion de la comunidad de los Cerritos, the Cerritos Community Association, has been attacked on the Las Quebradas plantation. He is currently in a critical condition in hospital. This appears to be another example of serious intimidation by plantation security personnel against peasant activists involved in the occupation of the Las Quebradas plantation over recent months.

At 8.30am on 11 August, Arturo Felipe Molina was shot and seriously injured as he farmed a plot of land on the Las Quebradas plantation. He had been involved in the occupation of the Las Quebradas plantation, where 236 families presently occupy the land in an attempt to press the government to recognize what they believe is their right to cultivate the land.

Las Quebradas is the property of a woman with US nationality and the entrance to the plantation is manned by private security personnel, who are thought to be responsible for this shooting, and for other recent killings of peasant activists. All of the victims have been members of the Asociacion de la comunidad de los Cerritos, the Cerritos Community Association. Guatemalan peasant organizations believe that the attack is an effort to intimidate local land activists to stop the occupation of the plantation.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Land conflict in Izabal department has now claimed the lives of six land activists since April 2001. Most recently three peasant activists were shot dead, reportedly by plantation security personnel (UA 205/02 issued  8 July 2002). In March 2002 land activist Jose Benjamin Perez Gonzalez of the neighboring Languin II banana plantation was reportedly shot first by the National Civil Police and then in the head by a local ranch owner (UA 90/02 issued March 25, 2002). To date, none of those who ordered the crimes have been brought to justice.

FURTHER RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals:

• calling on the government to investigate the attack against Arturo Felipe Molina, to make the results public and bring those responsible to justice;
• urging the authorities to take immediate measures to guarantee the safety of Arturo Felipe Molina and other members of the Asociacion de la comunidad de los Cerritos, Cerritos Community Association and others involved in the land occupations in the Izabal department;
• urging the authorities to investigate allegations of a pattern of abuse and intimidation against peasant farmers involved in land disputes in the Izabal Department, including at the Las Quebradas plantation by plantation security personnel;
• pressing the authorities to investigate all those involved in all recent killings arising from land disputes, making the results public and bringing those responsible to justice;
• reminding the authorities that under Guatemalan legislation, private security forces are licensed by government agencies and that it is therefore the responsibility of the authorities to ensure proper and effective control over the operations of such groups;
• urging the authorities to take action to peacefully resolve the land disputes in these and other communities, to prevent further human rights violations.

Amnesty International's mission is to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from discrimination, within the context of its work to promote all human rights.

APPEALS TO:
Attorney General:
Lic. Carlos David de Leon Argueta
Fiscal General de la Republica
Fiscalia General del Ministerio Publico
8a. Avenida 10-57
Tercer nivel
Zona 1
Ciudad de Guatemala
GUATEMALA
Telegram: Fiscal General de la Republica, Ciudad de
Guatemala, Guatemala
Fax:      011 502 221 2718
Salutation:    Senor Fiscal/Dear Sir

Minister of the Interior:
Lic. Adolfo Reyes Calderon
Ministro de Gobernacion
Ministerio de Gobernacion
6a Avenida 4-64, Zona 4
Ciudad de Guatemala
GUATEMALA
Telegram: Ministro de Gobernacion, Ciudad de Guatemala,
Guatemala
Fax: 011 502 362 0237
Salutation:    Dear Minister/Senor Ministro

Secretary of Strategic Affairs:
Lic. Edgar A. Gutierrez
Secretario de Asuntos Estrategicos
Secretaria de Asuntos Estrategicos
6a Avenida 'A' 3-53, Zona 1
Ciudad de Guatemala
GUATEMALA
Fax: 011 502 2322886
Salutation:    Senor Secretario/Dear Secretary

Director of Land Trust:
Lic. Sergio Funes
Fontierras
7 Avenida 8-92, Zona 9
Ciudad de Guatemala
GUATEMALA
Telegram: Director de Fontierras, Ciudad de Guatemala,
GUATEMALA
Fax:      011 502 34 6373 (If someone answers say 'me podria dar
tono de fax por favor')
Salutation: Dear Director/Senor Director

COPIES TO:
Peasants' Unity Committee:
Comite de Unidad Campesina (CUC)
31 Avenida A 14-46 Zona 7,
Ciudad de Plata II Guatemala
GUATEMALA
Fax: 011 502 434 9754
E-mail: cuc@guate.net

Press Agency:
Cerigua
2a calle 1-42, Zona 1
Ciudad de Guatemala
GUATEMALA
Fax: 011 502 238 1456/ 221 2521/ 251 1289 (If someone answers
say 'me podria dar tono de fax por favor')

Ambassador Ariel Rivera Irias
Embassy of Guatemala
2220 R St. NW
Washington DC 20008
Fax: 1 202 745 1908

Please send appeals immediately. Check with the Colorado office between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm, Mountain Time, weekdays only, if sending appeals after September 26, 2002.

Go to http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/newslett.html to read this month's newsletter.

Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement that promotes and defends human rights.

Urgent Action Network
Amnesty International USA
PO Box 1270
Nederland CO 80466-1270
Email: uan@aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/
Phone: 303 258 1170
Fax:     303 258 7881

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