Sadly it is not uncommon to hear about things like this happening in countries in the 3rd world. I get news in my inbox or via my Facebook quite often that activists for the environment or economic justice not only are intimidated, or warned but outright murdered by very powerful interests that are almost always tied to money and resources. I was particularly moved by this disturbing notice and I wanted to share with our readers. Take some action if you can:
Solidaridad con Guatemala de Austria, Collectif Guatemala-Francia, Rompiendo el Silencio-Canada, NISGUA-United States, GSN-Great Britain, PAQG-Canada (Quebec), CAREA – Germany
On January 13, at approximately 8:30pm, Evelinda Ramírez Reyes, community leader and member of organizations FRENA and CUC, was attacked and killed while on her way home from the Guatemalan capital. Evelinda had just attended a series of meetings on electricity with government officials in the capital. More specifically, Evelinda and other FRENA members filed complaints about the excessive rates charged by service provider DEOCSA-Unión Fenosa and also advocated for the public management of electrical energy distribution.
This assassination follows that of FRENA leader Victor Gálvez on October 23, 2009.
Background
The Spanish-owned transnational company Union Fenosa has worked in Guatemala since 1998, the year in which Álvaro Arzú’s government privatized the distribution of electrical energy.[1] Thousands of users have since filed complaints about the poor quality ofelectri cal service and high electricity bills. According to the records of the National Electrical Energy Commission (CNEE for its Spanish acronym), more than90 thousand complaints were filed between the months of January and May 2009against the two subsidiaries of Union Fenosa in Guatemala: the Distribuidora de Electricidad de Occidente (Western ElectricityDistributor – DEOCSA) and the Distribuidora de Electricidad deOriente (Eastern Electricity Distributor – DEORSA).In the same period the Human Rights Ombudsman’s office (PDH) also received 37complaints against DEORSA and 41 against DEOCSA. [2]
Faced with high electricity bills and few concrete results regarding complaints, community members throughout San Marcos started to organize within the Frente de Resistencia en Defensa de los Recursos Naturales y Derechos de los Pueblos (Resistance Front in Defense of Natural Resources and the Rights of People and Communities – FRENA). The movement has denounced the high electricity bills and has campaigned for the establishment of a municipal institution that would make electricity a public service accessible to all.
Prior to the recent murders, FRENA leaders hadreceived threats related to their work. The case of Victor Gálvez, a FRENA leader in Malacatán, is emblematic.He was physically assaulted for the first time in July 2009 and was shot todeath in broad daylight in the center of Malacatán on October 23, 2009. His death awakened resentment and social unrest, as demonstrated by the road blocks organized in December of 2009.
In response to the high levels of social unrest in the department, on December 22, 2009, the current administration declared martial law inSan Marcos. Declaring martial law severely restricts civil liberties, such as the right to freedom of expression, to freedom of association and to demonstrate. [3]
Recent events
On January 11, a delegation of FRENA members arrived in Guatemala City to hold meetings with various civil society organizations, as well as government authorities, such as the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of the Interior and the Secretary General of the Presidency. The meetings were organized to present extensive documentation of complaints against DEOCSA.
Shortly after the meetings, the delegation returned to San Marcos. Evelinda Ramírez Reyes and three other male FRENA members noticed that their car was followed by a four-door, white car with two passengers, both men of about 22-24 years of age.
At 8:30 pm, near Km.208, one passenger saw the same car overtake them and block the road. The FRENA members’ car was shot at,possibly from another direction, and both Evelinda Ramirez and the driver were hit. The driver and two other passengers were able to escape from the car and hide from their attackers. Once the assailants left the scene, the driver and the two other passengers returned to the car, where Evelinda had died from her wounds. Nothing was stolen during the attack.
Evelinda Ramírez Reyes, 26 years old and a single mother with a five-year-old son, was a member of FRENA and president of the board of the community of Chiquirines, Ocós in San Marcos. She was also a member of the Comité de Unidad Campesina (Peasant Unity Committee -CUC).
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS: Send appeals in Spanish or in your own language to the Guatemalan authorities, with copies to the respective diplomatic headquarters (proposals below):
* Demanding an immediate and exhaustive investigation into the armed attack against the members of FRENA that resulted in the death of Evelinda Ramírez Reyes and the injury of two others.
* Urging the authorities to investigate and arrest those responsible for the attack.
* Urging the authorities to transfer the case of Evelinda Ramírez Reyes’ murder to the Human Rights Prosecutor working within the office of the Public Prosecutor (Ministerio Publico).
* Asking that immediate measures be taken to guarantee the safety of all FRENA members.
* Urging the government to consider the complaints against Union Fenosa and their subsidiaries DEOCSA and DEORSA, as well as find ways to peacefully resolve the long-term conflict.
SEND APPEALS TO:
Lic.Álvaro Colom
Presidentede la República
Casa Presidencial, 6ª Avenida 4-18, Zona 1
Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
Telefax: (00502) 2221 4423 / (00502) 2238 3579
Sr.Raúl Antonio Velásquez Ramos
Ministrode Gobernación
6ªAvenida 13-71, Zona 1
Ciudadde Guatemala, Guatemala
Telefax:(00502) 2413 8658
Lic.José Amílcar Velásquez Zárate
FiscalGeneral de la República y Jefe del Ministerio Público
8ªAvenida 10-67, Antiguo Edificio del Banco de los Trabajadores, Zona 1
Ciudadde Guatemala, Guatemala
Telefax: (00502) 2411 9124 / (00502) 24119326
Ing. Luis Velásquez Quiroa
Secretario de Coordinación Ejecutiva de la Presidencia
5ª avenida 6-06 zona 1, Edificio IPM nivel 4.
Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
Telefax: (+502)2230-1986
Ing. Carlos Ivan Meany Valerio
Ministrode Energía y Minas
24calle 21-12, zona 12
Ciudadde Guatemala, Guatemala
Telefax:(+502)2476-2007
General de División Abraham Valenzuela González
Ministro de la Defensa Nacional
Avenida “La Reforma” 1-45, zona 10 (antigua Escuela Politécnica).
Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
Telefax:(+502)2414-7101