Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.960321102947.1845B-100000@class.class.org> Date: Thu, 21 Mar 1996 10:34:35 -0800 From: Fred Witthans <mailto:ustate2@CLASS.ORG> Subject: Re: Guatemalan Street Children To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
Mr. Sieg I recently read your letter you wrote and believe me I know how the situtation in Guatemala City is like, I lived there for about 4 years. Currently I am working with the Department of State with Latin American countries and I was wondering if you can inform me on employment opportunities with you. I hope to hear from you soon. Thank You, Manuel Monge.On Thu, 25 Jan 1996, Martin Sieg wrote:
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> From: "Casa Alianza - Regional Office" <mailto:casalnza@sol.racsa.co.cr>
> To: "Children Rights Defendors Network"<mailto:casalnza@sol.racsa.co.cr>
> Date: Wed, 24 Jan 1996 15:04:09 +0000
> Subject: Guatemalan street children gunned down - please help.
> Reply-To: mailto:casalnza@sol.racsa.co.cr
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>
> >From : Casa Alianza/Covenant House Latin America
>
> With the changes of government in Guatemala, we are all pulled into
> the false hope that the new authorities will be able to - or want to -
> pull out a magic wand and stop the tremendous violence against the
> street children.
>
> But then our bubble of false hopes is popped....
>
> In the early morning of Sunday, January 21st, 1996, at approximately
> 03:00 hours, a group of ten street children and youth were sleeping in
> the entrance of a pedestrian shopping precinct on 18th street between
> 5th and 6th Avenues in Zone 1 of Guatemala City. The group included
> Juan Pablo Mendez (15), Carlos Antonio Mejia Chavez (aka Mario Mejia,
> or Flash ) (20) and other minors with nicknames of Vaquero ,
> Diablo and Fina . At present we do not have the names of the
> remaining children.
>
> At approx 3am, a male dressed in civilian clothes came upon the group
> of children and, without saying anything, started firing his pistol
> into the group of children huddled together for warmth. Carlos Antonio
> Mejia was hit first and received two bullets - once in the neck and
> once in the chest. Upon hearing the shots and screams, the other
> children woke up and ran. The unidentified man continued firing
> indiscriminately at the children. Juan Pablo Mendez (15) was frozen on
> the floor in shock and the man turned and pointed the gun at him. Juan
> Pablo lifted his legs to try and protect himself, and the man fired
> and hit the boy in the lower right leg (ocasionadole una herida entre
> la tibia e el perone). The man then ran off...
>
> The children described the aggressor as approximately 35 years old,
> bearded, muscular, approx. 1.75 metres tall, moreno, wearing a mustard
> color jumper and jeans.
>
> Juan Pablo stated to Casa Alianza staff that a street girl called
> Carla, collected two bullet heads that she found on the pavement where
> the boys were sleeping. We are trying to find Carla. The boy also said
> that he is scared that the aggressor may be a member of the National
> Police porque estos constantamente nos exigen dinero y objetos
> robados y como ultimamente no les hemos proporcionado, entonces como
> forma de intimidarnos sea esta .
>
> Carlos Antonio Mejia is in the Emergency Ward of the San Juan de Dios
> Hospital where he was operated on early Sunday morning, and he is
> still in critical condition. Juan Pablo was also taken to the
> emergency room of the San Juan de Dios Hospital where they put his leg
> in plaster. He was discharged to the Casa Alianza Crisis Center at
> 10am the same Sunday. Casa Alianza is undertaking x-rays to make sure
> that there is no damage or to see if the bullet is still in the boy s
> leg.
>
> At present there is no further information regarding the attacker.
> Nothing has appeared in the local press about this incident.
>
> Please send your e-mail messages of concern to the President of
> COPREDEH (the government's human rights office) at
>
> mailto:copredeh@nicarao.apc.org
>
> Please send me a copy of your messages, and please pass this message
> on to other lists and concerned people. Thank you for your help and,
> thank you for caring.
>
> I will be sending you an update on the previous requests for action
> within a few days. The results demonstrated show that your messages
> DO have a tremendous impact.
>
> Thank you for what you are doing for these children...
> Bruce Harris
> Executive Director
> Latin American Programs
> Covenant House/Casa Alianza
> SJO 1039 Costa Rica phone:
> PO Box 025216 +506-253-5439
> Miami FL 33102-5216 USA +506-224-5689 fax
> Home Page: http://magi.com/crica/casalnza.html
>