[PEN-L:5228] urgent action (fwd)

[D Shniad <shniad@xxxxxx>]

> From ctfca@xxxxxxxxxxx Fri May 26 12:38:59 1995
> Date: Fri, 26 May 95 15:34 EDT
> From: ctfca@xxxxxxxxxxx (Christian Task Force on Central America BC)
> To: shniad@xxxxxx
> Subject: urgent action
>
>
>
>
> 					May 26, 1995
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 	URGENT ACTION - GUATEMALA - URGENT ACTION -
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> TRADE UNIONIST RECEIVES ANOTHER THREAT
>
> Dear Friends,
>
> We have received news from Amnesty International that on May 20,
> 1995, Debora Guzman Chupen, 23, received a new death threat. She
> is a trade unionist at the L y L Modas factory and was abducted in
> February.  Her husband, Felix Gonzalez, is a trade union leader at
> Lunafil S.A. textile factory in Amatitlan, Department of
> Guatemala.
>
> The threat came in the form of an anonymous hand-written letter
> delivered to her home and read: "We have given you enough time and
> you have not done what we told you to do...We had you in our
> hands, but you do not seem to understand.,  But we are going to
> make sure you do understand.  We are giving you 8 days to comply.
> Start counting the days.  Think about your parents and about your
> future.  It is not worth dying over something you yourself can
> prevent happening.  Do not leave your house, as we have you under
> surveillance...."
>
> BACKGROUND
> When Debora Guzman Chupen was abducted in February, she was told
> that she would be killed if she did not convince her husband to
> stop his union activities.  She was released a day later and
> shortly after received a written death threat at her home, warning
> her to ensure that her husband resigned from the union within 72
> hours.
>
> The May 20th threat is the latest in a series of threats and other
> acts of intimidation against trade unionists at the Lunafil
> factory.  They began receiving threats in May, 1994 when 49 of
> them began a protest outside the factory against what they claimed
> was its illegal and unjustified closure.
>
> An Amnesty International delegation recently visited Guatemala and
> met with the workers who said that despite the threats against
> Debora Guzman and her abduction in February, no inquiries have
> been initiated by the authorities.  It is believed that, as was
> the case during previous labour disputes at Lunafil in 1987 and
> 1988, private security guards hired by the Lunafil management and
> acting with the acquiescence or complicity of the Guatemalan
> security forces may be responsible for the abuses against Debora
> Guzman and other recent violations against unionists in the
> textile sector.
>
> RECOMMENDED ACTION
> Please send messages to the Guatemalan government, expressing
> concern at the death threats against Debora Guzman Chupen and
> Felix Gonzalez as well as other workers at the Lunafil factory,
> requesting immediate measures to guarantee their safety and
> calling for an immediate investigation into the reported abuses so
> that the perpetrators are brought to justice.
>
> It is useful to inform the government that you are contacting the
> Canadian government about this case.
>
> Please also send messages to the Canadian Minister of Foreign
> Affairs, briefly explaining the case and urging him to express the
> concern of the Canadian government and to call for the safety of
> the trade unionists and for an immediate investigation so that the
> perpetrators are brought to justice.
>
> Please send copies of this message to the Foreign Affairs critics
> for the NDP and Reform Party.  (Eastern Canada covers the Bloc
> Qubecois.)
>
> ADDRESSES
> Gral. Mario Enrquez Morales,                    FAX:
> 011-502-2-537472 Ministro de Defensa, Ministerio de Defensa,
> Palacio Nacional, Guatemala, GUATEMALA
>
> Hon. Andr Ouellet,                             FAX:1- 613-996-3443
> Minister of Foreign Affairs,                  Phone:1-613-995-8872
> House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
>
> Bob Mills, M.P. (Reform Party)               FAX:1- 613-995-6831
> Svend Robinson, M.P. (NDP)                     FAX: 1-613-992-5501
> Both are at the House of Commons.  No postage is necessary to send
> there.
>
> Thank you for your support.
>