Date Erinted 12 11 1997 DOC CHANNEL n a 34 PAGE 01 GUATEM 05304 01 OF 03 2021292 ACTION ARA-16 fiK INFO OCT-00 COPY-01 ADS-00 AID-O7 ss lo DODE-OO IO-15 NSC-01 NSAE-OO HA-08 MCT-OZ sp-oz SPRs-oz 094 161576 2021342 63 2018582 JUL 82 PM AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA To SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9975 INFO AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA AMEMBASSY MANAGUA AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE AMEMBASSY BELIZE Ts th AMEMBASSY MEXICO Pom 3 a m PA Exemption '23 AMEMBASSY PANAMA USCINCSO QUARRY HTS PN USMISSION GENEVA USMISSION USUN NEW YORK SECTION 01 OF 03 GUATEMALA 5304 E O 12065 GDS 7-19-88 GONZALES RAYMOND OR-P TAGS PINT ASEC SHUM GT SUBJECT U VIOLENCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT JUNE 1982 REF A GUATEMALA 4990 B GUATEMALA 4910 c GUATEMALA 4258 D GUATEMALA 5057 1 C-ENTIRE TEXT 2 STATISTICAL SUMMARY AND TRENDS A PRESS REPORTS AND OTHER SOURCES AVAILABLE TO US THE JUNE FIGURE OF 337 DEATHS REFLECTS A SLIGHT DECREASE FROM THE 355 FIGURE FOR MAY SIGNIFICANT IN JUNE WAS THE DRAMATIC INCREASE IN CAMPESINO PAGE 02 GUATEM 05304 01 OF 03 2021292 PRIMARILY INDIAN DEATHS FOR THE MONTH A TOTAL OF 255 CAMPESINOS WERE KILLED VIRTUALLY ALL IN THE INDIAN HIGHLANDS AREA THE 163 REPORTED KILLED IN MAY REFLECTED Page - 1 I 3 if Date Printed 12 11 1997 CHANNEL E a 34 THE HIGHEST FIGURE AS OF THAT DATE IN THE STEADY INCREASE OF INDIAN DEATHS OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS THE INCREASE BY NINETY-TWO FOR JUNE IS THE LARGEST JUMP IN INDIAN DEATHS WE HAVE EVER RECORDED OF THE 337 VICTIMS FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE ONLY EIGHTY-TWO WERE NOT INDIANS AND OF THIS EIGHTY-TWO TWENTY-EIGHT WERE GUERRILLAS VIRTUALLY ALL INDIANS AS WELL WE CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF NONCOMBATANTS KILLED IN THE INDIAN HIGHLANDS WERE VICTIMS OF THE EXTREME LEFT FOR THE THIRD MONTH THE NUMBER OF DEATHS ATTRIBUTED TO THE FAR LEFT EXCEEDS THE TOTAL OF EITHER THE EXTREME RIGHT OR THE NON-ATTRIBUTION CATEGORY THE NUMBER OF KIDNAPPINGS AT FORTY-NINE WAS ALSO A RECENT HIGH ALTHOUGH AS REPORTED IN PARAGRAPH 4 THE GOG LATER TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOME OF THESE AND THE KIDNAP VICTIMS WERE LATER DECLARED TO HAVE BEEN ARRESTED BY THE GOG B JUNE 1982 DEATHS PROBABLY POLITICAL 330 POSSIBLY POLIITICAL 7 DEATH SQUAD 0 TOTAL 337 PROBABLE POLITICAL DEATHS BY ACTION OF RIGHT EXTREME 11 LEFT EXTREME 180 GOVERNMENT ELEMENTS 28 CIVIL DEFENSE GROUPS 0 111 TOTAL 330 CONEIPENTIAL 2% CGNFEBENTIAL PAGE 03 GUATEM 05304 01 OF 03 2021292 3 IDENTIFIABLE DEATHS ATTRIBUTED TO AND POLITICAL MOTIVES DOES NOT INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS WITH UNKNOWN OCCUPATIONS 255 CAMPESINOS 5 2 BUSINESSMEN MILITARY POLICE FARM OWNER PMA 2 POLITICIANS 1 PRIVATE SECURITY MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR 4 MILITARY COMMISIONERS 7 CIVIL DEFENSE MEMBERS ALSO COUNTED AS 3 SOLDIERS CAMPESINOS 28 GUERRILLAS BECAUSE THE GOG HAS BEGUN TO EXERCISE TIGHT CONTROLS Page - 2 Emma -44 Date rinted 12 11 1997 Doc_ E1104 CHANNEL n a 34 OVER SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES AND MILITARY ENGAGEMENTS REPORTED BY THE PRESS THE REPORTED NUMBER OF MILITARY CASUALTIES IS SOMEWHAT SUSPECT 4 DISAPPEARANCES THE ABDUCTION OF FORTY-NINE INDIVIDUALS IN JUNE IS A SHARP INCREASE OVER THE TWENTY-THREE ABDUCTED IN MAY AND THE FOUR RECORDED FOR APRIL AS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED IN REFTEL SOME OF THESE ABDUCTIONS WERE LATER REVEALED TO HAVE BEEN COMMITTED BY GOG SECURITY ELEMENTS FIFTEEN STUDENTS OR YOUNG PEOPLE UNDER AGE TWENTY-GIVE WERE KIDNAPPED IN MAY AND SOME IN JUNE THE YOUNGSTERS WERE ACCUSED OF SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES WHILE MEMBERS OF OR THE FERG FRENTE ESTUDIANTE RUBEN GARCIA BUT WERE RELEASED IN THE CUSTODY OF THEIR PARENTS AFTER ACCEPTING THE OFFER OF AMNESTY OPERATIVE DURING THE MONTH OF JUNE THE SIXTEEN STUDENTS RELEASED ON JUNE 9 IS NOT ENTIRELY CONSISTENT WITH THE LIST OF STUDENTS ABDUCTED DURING THE MONTH ONLY FIVE OF THE NAMES OVERLAP SONIA ESTRADA GALINDO SANDRA SOLARZANO AND MARVIN ALBA AND LESBIA PEREZ DIONICIO ALL MEMBERS OF THE SAME FAMILY TWO CONCLUSIONS CAN BE DRAWN CON- CERNING THE OTHER ELEVEN STUDENTS WHO WERE RELEASED CW com 19mm PAGE 04 GUATEM 05304 01 OF 03 2021292 BUT WHO DID NOT APPEAR AS KIDNAP VICTIMS AND THOSE STUDENTS WHO WERE KIDNAPPED BUT NOT RELEASED 1 THE ELEVEN STUDENTS RELEASED JUNE 9 WERE NOT REPORATED AS KIDNAP VICTIMS BY THE PRESS AND 2 THE 10 STUDENTS KIDNAPPED IN JUNE BUT NOT RELEASED APPARENTLY DID NOT CHOOSE TO ACCEPT THE AMNESTY OFFER ANOTHER ABDUCTION THAT LATER PROVED TO BE THE WORK OF GOG SECURITY KIDNAPPING OF DR JOSE HURTADO ON JUNE 24 OCCURRED ONE DAY AFTER Date printed 12 11 1997 PAGE 01 ACTION ARA- 15 INFO OCT-00 DODE-OO 10 15 PM-09 spRs-02 094 2018582 JUL 82 FM QUATEMALA TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9976 INFO AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA AMEMBASSY MANAGUA AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE AMEMBASSY BELIZE VAMEMBASSY MEXICO AMEMBASSY PANAMA USCINCSO QUARRY HTS PN USMISSION GENEVA GUATEM 05304 161011 2021362 63 a Page - 4 EMS HHEB t QPEf fao4 CHANNEL n a WI 02 OF 03 2021062 AID-07 CIAE-OO sy-os HA-08 MCT-OZ ICAE-OO SP-02 -1 C5 I Date Printed 12 11 1997 CHANNEL n a 34 USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 02 OF 03 GUATEMALA 5304 RICARDO MENDEZ RUIZ VALDES SON OF INTERIOR MINISTER COL MENDEZ RUIZ WAS KIDNAPPED BY THE PGT THERE IS SPECULATION THAT DR HURTADO WAS ABDUCTED BY ELEMENTS OF THE GOG BY ORDERS OF THE INTERIOR MINISTER FOR PURPOSES OF A POSSIBLE TRADE FOR HIS SON RICARDO REF D ALSO ABUDCTED DURING THE MONTH WERE MEDARDO GARCIA PAREDES AND HIS WIFE JUNE 2 CHAJUL ALTA LUCIA CACAO MUNOZ JUNE 2 GUATEMALA FELIPE VASQUEZ GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE JUNE 20 JULIO FLORES TOLEDO INDUSTRIALIST JUNE 22 GUATEMALA CITY RELEASED SEVEN DAYS LATER AFTER RANSOM WAS VICTOR KAIRE BASSON BUSINESSMAN JUNE 22 GUATEMALA CARLOS CONTRERAS MANAGER OF BANCAFE JUNE 23 FLORENCIO FLORES AND WIFE JUNE 29 PAGE 02 GUATEM 05304 02 OF 03 2021062 SUCHITEPEQUEZ ALSO ABAUCTED WERE TWELVE CAMPESINOS TAKEN FROM A TRUCK AT LOS ENCUENTROS SOLOLA ON JUNE 22 AND TWELVE PASSENGERS INCLUDING A POLICEMAN TAKEN FROM A BUS IN POPTUN PETEN ON JUNE 22 5 PROBABLE GOVERNMENT VIOLENCE IN ADDITION TO THE ABDUCTIONSABEPORTED IN PARAGRAPH 4 ATTRIBUTED TO THE GOG GOVERNMENT ELEMENTS WERERESPONSIBLE FOR KILLING TWENTY-EIGHT GUERRILLAS PRIMARILY IN MILITARY CLASHES DESCRIBED BELOW IN PARAGRAPH 6 6 MILITARY CLAHSES THERE WERE A TOTAL OF GIVE CLASHES DURING THE MONTH DOWN FROM THE ELEVEN REPORTED IN MAY THESE RESULTED IN THE DEATH OE TWENTY-EIGHT GUERRILLAS AND Two SOLDIERS THE CLASHES OCCURRED IN SAN RAFAEL PIE DE LA CUESTA SAN MARCOS JUNE 7 ONE SOLDIER AND FIVE GUERRILLAS SAN ANDRES EL PETEN JUNE 10 ONE SOLDIER SAN CRISTOEAL ALTA VERAPAZ JUNE 12 EIGHT GUERRILLAS COMALAPA CHIMALTENANGO JUNE 12 TEN GUERRILLAS AND JACALTENANGO JUNE 23 FIVE GUERRILLAs KILLED AND ONE SOLDIER WOUNDED 7 CIVIL DEFENSE CLASHES THERE WAS ONLY ONE Page - 5 Date Printed 12 11 1997 DOC CLASH BETWEEN GUERRILLAS AND A CIVIL DEFENSE UNIT IT OCCURRED JUNE 26 IN COTZAL QUICHE SEVEN CIVIL DEFENSE MEMBERS WERE KILLED ALONG WITH TWO NONCOMBATANTS ACTIVITIES BY CIVIL DEFENSE FORCES HAS DECREASED CON- SIDERABLY OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS 8 PROBABLE RIGHT EXTREMIST VIOLNECE WE BLAME THE EXTREME RIGHT FOR THE KILLING OF NINE INDIANS IN CARDIA PAGE 03 GUATEM 05304 02 OF 03 2021062 ALSO VERAPAZ JUNE 8 AMONG THIS GROUP WER FIVE WOMEN THE MASSACRE OCCURRED ON THE PACOLA FARM WHERE MEN IN GIVE JEEPS KILLED THE UNUSUSPECTING INDIANS THE RIGHT IS ALSO HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE KILLING OF TWO INDIAN BROTHERS WHO WERE KIDNAPPED TORTURED SHOT AND HANGED IN CARDIA ALTA VERAPAZ ON JUNE 24 9 PROBABLE LEFTIST TERRORIST VIOLENCE DOES NOT INCLUDE CLASHES WITH ARMY OR CIVIL DEFENCE A THE LEFTIST TERRORISTS ARE CREDITED WITH THE DEATH OF AN ADDITIONAL 170 INDIVIDUALS THIS FIGURE INCLUDES FOUR MILITARY COMMISSIONERS FIVE POLICEMEN ONE FARM OWNER AND ONE MILITARY POLICEMAN IN ADDITION WE BLAME THE EXTREME LEFT FOR THE DEATH OF AT LEAST 159 CAMPESINOS THE MOST BRUTAL ATTACKS OCCURRED IN LAS PACAYAS VILLAGE IN SAN CRISTOBAL ALTA VERAPAZ JUNE 11 WHEN EIGHTEEN CAMPESINOS WERE KILLED SIXTEEN MORE WOUNDED AND THE HOUSES ON JUNE 14 IN CHACALTE CAHJUL QUICHE 120 INDIANS WERE MASSACRED BY THE EGP AMONG THIS NUMBER WERE WOMEN CHILDREN AND ELDERLY EVIDENCE POINTS STRONGLY TO THE GUERRILLAS SINCE THE EMBASSY IS AWARE THAT THE CARRIED ON A STRONG AND EFFECTIVE PROGRAM OF WINNING OVER THE INDIAN POPULATION BY EFFECTIVE SOCIAL PROGRAMS IN THE REGION THE FACT THAT THE THREE SURVIVORS MOST OF THEM -WOUNDED WENT TO THE NEARBY ARMY POST FOR HELP STRONGLY POINT TO UERRILLA CULPABILITY THE EMBASSY BELIEVES THAT THE EFFECTIVE SOCIALIZATION PROGRAMS IN THIS REGION HAS RESULTED IN GUERRILLA VIOLENCE AIMED AT TH INDIAN POPULATION SO AS TO DISCOURAGE THEM FROM SIDING WITH THE ARMY THE REGION OF THE IXIL TRIANGLE HAS EXPERIENCED THE LARGEST NUMBER OF INDIAN Page - 6 CONFEBENTIRE Date P'rinted 12 11 1997 CHANNEL tile 34 MASSACRES OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS AND THIS IS PRECISELY THE REGION WHERE THE ARMY HAS BEEN MOST CDNEIDENTIAL CGNFEBENTEAL PAGE 04 GUATEM 05304 02 OF 03 2021062 EFFECTIVE IN WINNING OVER THE INDIANS MISSION PERSONNEL HAVE PERSONALLY VISITED THE AREA AND ATTEST TO THE EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS CARRIED OUT BY SOME OF THE ARMY COMMANDERS IN THE REGION B THE LEFT WAS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THREE VILLAGE TAKEOVERS MOST OF THESE OCCURRED IN THE INDIAN HIGHLANDS AREA OF THE COUNTRY PRIMARILY IN EL QUICHE QUEZALTENANGO CHIMALTENANAGO ALTA VERPAZ AND HUEHUETENANGO SEVERAL OCCURRED IN IZABAL AND SANTA ROSA DEPARTMENTS THE EXTREME LEFT WAS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR FOUR BOMBINGS ONE PARTIALLY DESTROYED A BRIDGE ON THE PAN AMERICAN HIGHWAY IN HUEHUETENANGO TWENTY-TWO OTHER TERRORIST ACTS ARE ATTRIBUTED TO THE EXTREME LEFT WHICH INCLUDED THE BURNING OF BUSES ATTACKS ON MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS THE BURNING OF FARM EQUIPMENT AND STORAGE FACILITIES AND THE BURNING OF GASOLINE STATIONS IN A DRAMATIC ACT THE LEFT 4 Page - 7 u til tjfii mijiji i Date p'rinted 12 1 1 1997 swa CHANNEL Ala 34 1 In wan CONEEBENTEAL PAGE 01 GUATEM 05304 03 OF 03 2021142 ACTION ARA-16 INFO ADS-00 AID-07 CIAE-OO H-01 NSC-01 NSAE-OO SY-OS HA-08 L-03 PM-09 MCT-02 SAL-01 ICAE-OO SP-02 SPRS-02 094 161164 2021352 53 2018582 JUL 82 FM AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9977 INFO AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA AMEMBASSY MANAGUA AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE AMEMBASSY BELIZE AMEMBASSY MEXICO AMEMBASSY PANAMA USCINCSO QUARRY HTS PN USMISSION GENEVA USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 03 OF 03 GUATEMALA 5304 SPRAYED THE FRONT OF THE PRENSA LIBRE NEWSPAPER BUILDING BUT CAUSED NO CASULATIES THE NUMBER OF BOMBINGS AT FOUR WAS RELATIVELY LOW FOR THE MONTH 10 HUMAN RIGHTS ATMOSPHERICS AT THE ILO CONFERENCE WHICH CONCLUDED IN GENEVA ON JUNE 23 THE COMMITTEE ON APPLICATION OF CONVENTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON GUATEMALA AND CONVENTION 87 ON FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION FAILED TO LIST GUATEMALA IN ITS REPORT AS A CENSURED COUNTRY WHERE HAD BEEN MADE THE GUATEMALAN MINISTER OF LABOR OTTO PALMA FIGUEROA INDICATED TO THE BODY THAT THE NEW REGIME WOULD DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO COMPLY WITH CONVENTION 87 AND TO COOPERATE WITH THE CONFIBENTIAL Page - 8 Hr 1L ti CHANNEL 34 Date p rinted 12 11 1997 PAGE 02 GUATEM 05304 03 OF 03 2021142 ILO WHILE THE COMMITTEE COMMENDED THE NEW GOVERNMENT IT DID NOT LIFT THE SANCTION ON THE GOG NOTING THAT WHILE THE ATTITUDE WAS MUCH IMPROVED THERE WAS STILL NOT ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO REMOVE THE GOG FROM THE LIST OF MEANWHILE IN GUATEMALA THE FOREIGN MINISTER ISSUED FORMAL INVITATIONS IN THE NAME OF THE GOG TO THE INTER AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE UN COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS ASKING THAT THEY SEND REPRESENTATIVES TO GUATEMALA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THE GOG IS HOPING FOR A VISIT AS EARLY AS AUGUST IN HOPES OF IMPROVING ITS INTERNATIONAL IMAGE THUS FAR DECEMBER APPEARS TO BE THE EARLIEST EITHER TWO GROUPS PLANS TO VISIT GUATEMALA THE DATE OF JUNE 30 MARKED THE END OF THE AMNESTY OFFER TO THE GUERRILLAS WHILE THE AMNESTY PLAN LACKED COORDINATION AND PLANNING IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT GESTURE BY THE GOG TO ATTEMPT A PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO ITS GUERRILLA PROBLEM THERE ARE ESTIMATES THAT FROM 2000 TO 2500 GUERRILLAS TURNED THEMSELVES IN DURING THE MONTH THE EMBASSY FEELS THAT THESE FIGURES ARE SOMEWHAT INFLATED AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE HARD CORE GUERRILLA TROOPS WHO WOULD CERTAINLY RATHER FIGHT THAN SWITCH TAYLOR Page - 9 e NILJ This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu