July 11, 2005
Guatemala Strategic Action
Human rights defender threatened
Strong international condemnation of this intimidation is important to protect human rights work in Guatemala.
Mario Godinez, the General Coordinator of Ceiba (Association for the Promotion and Development of the Community), recently received a threat. Given the context of this threat, Guatemalan NGOs considered the situation serious enough to send a communiqué to the international community.
Ceiba works with other Guatemalan NGOs such as the Front Against Metal Mining, the National Movement for Human Rights and other member organizations of the umbrella group Mesa Global. They work on human rights issues such as opposition to metal mining, opposition to free trade agreements, promotion of citizens' participation, etc. Mr Godinez works usually in the department [province] of Huehuetenango where CEIBA has been very active in community development for twelve years.
A group calling itself "Action for Peace in Huehuetenango" sent a fax to Mario Godinez, on Thursday, July 7. The fax said that Ceiba's actions are "destabilizing" and "provoked indignation in those working for peace" in Huehuetenango.
They "recommended" Mr. Godinez "to abstain from having meetings of more than 20 people in any place because we will see that as a new provocation and we will react accordingly."
They added: "We recommend that you be very prudent concerning whatever activities you plan to undertake in the communities and in the department."
The most likely reasons for the threat are the activities of Mr. Godinez and of Ceiba, in general. These include working against mining concessions already authorized by the government in 19 communities in Huehuetenango, and public opposition to the Free Trade Agreement between Central America and the USA (CAFTA). Within that framework, he went to the USA as part of a delegation headed by Bishop Alvaro Ramazzini (who received death threats a few months ago). The delegation urged the US Congress to reject CAFTA.
It is important to note that, on March 16, following a public demonstration against the CAFTA in Huehuetenango, in which a teacher was killed and a campesino severely wounded, unidentified armed men went to Ceiba's office asking for "Ceiba's boss". Mr Godinez was out of the country at that time.
The Guatemalan NGO "National Movement for Human Rights", a member of the umbrella group "Mesa Global", has sent a denunciation to the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights, of the Organization of American States. They also sent copies to NGOs in North America and Europe. A denunciation will also be sent to the Guatemalan Ministry of Justice and the Guatemalan Ombudsman for Human Rights.
They ask the government of Guatemala to take measures to protect Mr. Godinez and his family.
We request:
that you send a message to the government of Guatemala, expressing your concern and asking for
a) the protection of Mr. Godinez and his family,
b) an investigation into the threat and that those found responsible be brought to justice.
Please send copies to Ceiba and the National Movement for Human Rights.
that you send a copy of your note to the Canadian government and ask that the Canadian Embassy in Guatemala speak out in support of those working for human rights and against all forms of intimidation against human rights defenders.
Addresses:
His Excellency Carlos Humberto Jiménez
Guatemalan Ambassador to Canada
Embassy of Guatemala
130 Albert Street, Suite 1010, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5G4
Fax 1 (613) 233 0135
E-mail embassy1@embaguate-canada.com
Honourable Pierre Pettigrew
Minister of Foreign Affairs
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa ON K1A 0G2
Fax 1 (613) 996 3443
E-mail Pettigrew.P@parl.gc.ca
Ruth del Valle
Unidad de Protección a Defensores y Defensoras de Derechos Humanos
Movimiento Nacional por los Derechos Humanos
1a calle 0-11, Zona 2, Colonia El Sauce, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala, Central America
telefax 011 (502) 2232 2651
e-mail ruthdelvalle@intelnett.com
CEIBA
Main Office
Km. 56.5 Carretera Interamericana, Aldea Buena Vista, Chimaltenango, Guatemala, Central America
Fax 011 (502) 7839 6033 or 011 (502) 7839 1033
e-mail ceibauno@terra.com.gt