In May, four forensic anthropologists were forced to leave the country after receiving death threats against themselves and their families.
In June, a fax sent to newspapers by a previously unknown group threatened the lives of 11 rights activists labeled "enemies of the state" due to their cooperation with the United Nations Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders, Hina Jilani.
"None of these incidents has been satisfactorily investigated by the Guatemalan government; nor have those responsible been brought to justice," according to the Washington Office on Latin America. "Civil society leaders say that these targeted attacks and the fear that they generate are comparable to the worst period of violence during the 1980s."
Rights activists and clergy are not the only ones targeted. Last week, three youths, including two 17-year-old boys, were killed and three others critically wounded in a drive-by machine-gun shooting while they were sleeping in downtown Guatemala City, according to Casa Alianza, a youth advocacy group.
The attack took place on the eve of the visit of the Special Rapporteur on Children at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Susana Villaran de la Puente, who is investigating the plight of street children in Central America.
Copyright 2002 OneWorld.net
http://www.oneworld.net
Please also read "Pope in North America" in our Health section.
In June, a fax sent to newspapers by a previously unknown group threatened the lives of 11 rights activists labeled "enemies of the state" due to their cooperation with the United Nations Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders, Hina Jilani.
"None of these incidents has been satisfactorily investigated by the Guatemalan government; nor have those responsible been brought to justice," according to the Washington Office on Latin America. "Civil society leaders say that these targeted attacks and the fear that they generate are comparable to the worst period of violence during the 1980s."
Rights activists and clergy are not the only ones targeted. Last week, three youths, including two 17-year-old boys, were killed and three others critically wounded in a drive-by machine-gun shooting while they were sleeping in downtown Guatemala City, according to Casa Alianza, a youth advocacy group.
The attack took place on the eve of the visit of the Special Rapporteur on Children at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Susana Villaran de la Puente, who is investigating the plight of street children in Central America.
Copyright 2002 OneWorld.net
http://www.oneworld.net
Please also read "Pope in North America" in our Health section.