Attacks against activists

Last week it became clear that there is a covert "carrot and stick" campaign underway in Guatemala designed expedite approval of the Central American Free Trade Agreement.

In the "carrot" part of the campaign, President Berger flew to Washington D.C. for smiling photo-ops with George W. Bush, and a face-to-face lobbying effort with skeptical members of the U.S. Congress in order to gain their support for CAFTA.

In the "stick" part of the campaign, unknown assailants attacked individuals and organizations in Guatemala which have spoken out against CAFTA.

In the past week alone, there were eight cases of breaking and entering in the offices of organizations that oppose the trade agreement. In the case of two offices: CNOC (the National Coordinating Body of Campesino Organizations) and HIJOS (Sons and Daughters for Identity, Justice, and Remembrance Against Silence), valuables were left behind while hard drives containing sensitive information were taken.

As one Guatemalan journalist writes: "the object of the break-ins is to discover who is providing financial, political or operational assistance to these organizations."

Other groups which have suffered forced entries are: The National Human Rights Movement in Santa Rosa (May 8), The Federation of Lutheran Churches in the Peten (May 8), The Institute for Comparative Criminal Science Studies (May 10), and the CUSG - Guatemalan Labor Unity Confederation (May 10).There was also an attempted break-in at the offices of the CGTG - Guatemalan Worker's Confederation on May 10th.

On May 11th, the home of Byron Garoz (of CONGCOOP - The Coordination of NGOs and Cooperatives ) and Cristina Buczko (Coordinator of the Austrian Accompaniment Project) was broken into and ransacked.

According to Amnesty International, so far this year 65 activists and organizations have been the victims of attacks which have included "robberies, attempted kidnappings, attempted murders, and persecution." Amnesty has asked the Guatemalan authorities to initiate an immediate investigation, and to bring the guilty parties to justice.

Here's the story from the Washington Post:

Break-Ins Stir Criticism of Government

Guatemala City -- A rash of break-ins at the offices and homes of activists opposing a free trade pact with the United States prompted Guatemala's top human rights official to criticize the government Friday for failing to protect the activists.

Five groups opposed to the Central American Free Trade Agreement were burglarized within 48 hours this week. The attacks were similar to thefts from government critics routinely carried out by paramilitary groups during a bloody 36-year civil war that ended in 1996, and they raised concerns about renewed paramilitary activity.

Many of the break-ins took place as President Oscar Berger toured Washington to drum up support for the pact, which seeks to lower trade barriers between the United States, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras and the Dominican Republic.

The accord is opposed by some U.S. and Central American labor groups who say it fails to protect workers' rights.

Resources:

Ocho ataques en seis días

Amnistía condena ataques

Allanan y violentan las oficinas de H.I.J.O.S. Guatemala

Aumenta nuevamente Terrosimo de Estado en contra de sectores de oposición al TLC