[PEN-L:3766] Guatemala - Urgent Appeal (fwd)

[D Shniad <shniad@xxxxxx>]

Forwarded message:
Date: Sun, 14 Apr 1996 14:39:03 +0100
From: Chris Bailey <chrisbailey@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Guatemala - Urgent Appeal
Sender: Forum on Labor in the Global Economy <LABOR-L@xxxxxxxx>
Reply-to: Forum on Labor in the Global Economy <LABOR-L@xxxxxxxx>

INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR TRADE UNION RIGHTS

URGENT SOLIDARITY APPEAL

March 27, 1996

Dear Colleagues

Solidarity Fund for Guatemalan trade unionists

Enclosed is a copy of a special briefing paper prepared by ICTUR
highlighting the latest brutal suppression of trade union rights in
Guatemala. We would like to draw your attention specifically to the case of
Reynaldo Gonzalez and his family.

Reynaldo is the Secretary General of the bank workers union of Guatemala
(FESEBS) and as you can see from the briefing has had to flee to the United
States for his own safety. Our briefing describes the horrific attack and
rape of Reynaldo's sister, Vilma Cristina Gonzalez. However, just one day
after we published this we learned of a second attack on Vilma. Amnesty
International reported to us that Vilma was abducted and tortured a second
time, during which she suffered 130 burns to her body and was interrogated
about her brothers trade union activities. This at a time when she was
supposed to be under police protection.

Reynaldo has already got out of the country but it is a matter of urgency
that Vilma and her family get out of the terror also to where she can
receive professional counselling and assistance. The immediate need is to
raise money to enable all the family to be together in the relative safety
of the United States. ICTUR has undertaken to act as an agent for the
US/Guatemala Labour Project which is administering the Reynaldo and Vilma
Gonzalez Solidarity Fund. We are making a strong appeal to the trade union
movement in Britain to make its own contribution and provide some much
needed international solidarity.

All cheques should be made payable to ICTUR and sent to our international
head office in London where we will then guarantee to send all donations to
the Solidarity Fund. The Solidarity Fund will receipt all donations.

Please do all you can to help in this extremely important matter and also to
raise the issue of the continuing brutal violation of trade union rights in
Guaternala whenever an opportunity arises.

Yours sincerely

Tom Sibley
Executive Secretary

----------------------------------------------------

Guatemala Labour Alert

International Centre for Trade Union Rights

22 March 1996


Violence against trade unionists continues

The men and women of the Guatemalan labour movement have faced a long
history of oppression and violence. The mere fact that you are a trade union
activist is apparently sufficient to justify death threats against you and
your family and the carrying out of grave acts of violence and murder.
Recent events appear to demonstrate that the situation of Guatemalen workers
is far from improving.

Attacks on family of labour leader

On 27 February 1996 Vilma Cristina Gonzalez, the sister of trade unionist
Reynaldo Gonzalez, was abducted, raped, tortured and threatened with death
if she and her brother did not leave the country and if her brother did not
stop his union activities. Reynaldo Gonzalez is General Secretary of FESEBS
the bank workers union and has been an active trade unionist for many years.
He has been instrumental in attempts to put international pressure on the
Guatemalan government and business sector to improve labour rights.

Vilma Cristina Gonzalez was kidnapped by four men as she was leaving work
and driven away in a car with polarised windows. Durlng the car journey she
was repeatedly insulted and violently assaulted. She was then taken into a
building and questioned and repeatedly violently raped. She was interrogated
about the activities of her brother. Her assailants told her that she and
her brother should leave the country and that if her brother did not stop
his union activities then he would be killed. They also told her that they
would do to her two and four year old children what they were doing to her.

Since her ordeal, Vilma Cristina Gonzalez has received death threats.
Reynaldo Gonzalez has been followed on several occasions and has received
numerous specific death threats. There has been no effective protection
provided by the Guatemalan Government.

As a result of the very serious danger faced by the family, both Reynaldo
Gonzalez and Vilma Gristina Gonzalez have decided that they have no option
other than temporarily leaving the country. Reynaldo, his wife Dinarda and
children Jacqueline (6) and Jonathan (3) arrived in Chicago on March 14. It
is hoped that Vilna and her family will hopefully arrive in the USA by March
23, where she will receive professional counselling and assistance.

Appeal for support

Taking Reynaldo and Vilma Gonzalez and their families out of Guatemala in
order to protect their lives has, so far, cost around $12,000. In order to
finance this the US/Guatemala Labor Education Project - who have provided
all the practical support for the families - have set up a solidarity fund.
ICTUR have agreed to collect donations and pass them dwectly on to USGLEP.
Pease provide any assistance you or your organisation can afford. Please
copy and circulate this leaflet.

Threats to maquila trade unionists go on

Debora Guzman Chupen, a trade union activist, her husband Felix Gonzalez and
their four month old son have continued to receive threats to their lives in
1996. Debora Guzman was formerly a trade union leader at a maquila factory,
as was her husband. The workers at her husbands factory, Lunafil, have been
party to a bitter dispute with the owners for a number of months. Many of
the trade union activists at this factory have received death threats.

There is also a long-running dispute at Debora Guzman's workplace which has
led to several of her colleagues in the union having their lives threatened.
On 2 March 1995 Debora Guzman was abducted and held for some time. During
her kidnapping, she was told that she should give up her union activities
and convince her husband to give up his if they wanted to stay alive.

In February 1996 Debora Guzman again received threats. An anonymous letter
informed her that she should remember her abduction saying: 'You think that
we are playing games but we are not, we advise you to tell your husband as
well as Julio and those from UNSITRAGUA that they have to put an end to this
organization, otherwise you will be with us again. It might be on the same
date but this time it will be for ever. Tell your husband that if he really
loves you he shouldn't risk your life, because you are too young to die'.

After these threats the family moved to a secret location but received
another threat. They moved to another hiding place but, at the end of
February, another death threat was cornmunicated to them.

Suggested action

Contact the relevant authorities expressing concern over the safety of trade
unionists in Guatemala and demanding that all necessary actions are taken to
protect those trade unionists under threat, in particular Reynaldo Gonzalez
and his family and Debora Guzman, Felix Gonzalez and the 49 workers
dismissed from the Lunafil textile factory. Please also send, if possible,
copies to UNSITRAGUA the Guatemalan union federation.

Useful Addresses

S.E. Alvaro Arzu Irigoyen
Presidente de la Republica de Guatemala
Palacio Nacional, Guatemala, GUATEMALA
Telegrams: Presidente Arzu Irigoyen, Guatemala, Guatemala
Faxes: 00502 2 515 667

His Excellency Senor Edmundo Nanne,
Embassy of Guatemala,
13 Fawcet St, London SW10 9HN.
Fax: 0171 376 5708

Union Sindical da Trabajadores da Guatemala, (UNSITRAGUA)
11 Calle 8-14, Zona 1, Oficina 34, Tercer Nivel,Guatemala, GUATEMALA

For more information or to provide help, contact:

ICTUR,
177 ABBEVILLE ROAD,
LONDON SW4 9RL

TEL: 0171-498 4700
FAX: 0171-498 0611