GOG CHANGES SECURITY DETAIL OF HUMAN RIGHTS

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000556

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KJUS KCRM KDEM GT
SUBJECT: GOG CHANGES SECURITY DETAIL OF HUMAN RIGHTS
DEFENDERS


1. On April 24, the Guatemalan government announced that the
Presidential Secretariat of Security and Administrative
Affairs (SAAS) will no longer provide personal security to
private citizens, including human rights defenders, who are
not affiliated with the government. National Civil Police
(PNC) agents from the Division of Personal Protection will
instead be assigned to protect those individuals. (Note:
Ambassadors also receive security from the PNC.)


2. Among many others, the decision affects prominent human
rights defenders, including Helen Mack, President of the
Myrna Mack Foundation and co-petitioner in 29 cases of forced
disappearances and other crimes before the Inter-American
Court of Human Rights. Mack was assigned two presidential
security guards in 2002 by order of then Vice President Juan
Francisco Reyes Lopez pursuant to an order of the
Inter-American Court of Human Rights as a protective measure
against death threats in connection with legal proceedings
against former military officers suspected of involvement in
the 1990 Myrna Mack murder.


3. According to the President's spokesperson, the decision
was part of a SAAS restructuring aimed at reallocating the
institution's resources and resuming its original mandate.
SAAS, upon abolishment of the Estado Mayor Presidencial
(Presidential General Staff),was created in 2003 exclusively
to provide security to the President, Vice President, their
families, other high-ranking government officials, visiting
foreign dignitaries, and presidential candidates. The
President's spokesperson affirmed that the government will
continue to comply with the order of the Inter-American Court
of Human Rights to provide security to Mack and other human
rights defenders, but will now provide that assistance
through the police instead of the SAAS.


4. Mack characterized the decision as a "metida de pata"
(screw-up),criticizing Colom for absolving himself from his
responsibility for citizen security. In a press statement,
the Myrna Mack Foundation expressed concern over statements
made by Colom during an April 24 radio interview regarding
withdrawal of SAAS security detail. He stated that he made
the decision to put the PNC in charge of providing security
for human rights defenders because he did not want to run the
risk of being held responsible for any incident against those
under SAAS protection. The Foundation criticized Colom for
being more concerned about personal blame than possible harm
to the protected individuals. It called on government
authorities to collaborate on efforts to improve justice and
security for all citizens.


5. Comment: The PNC Division of Personal Protection is not
as highly trained or as effective as the SAAS in providing
personal security; however, use of PNC agents in lieu of SAAS
agents fulfills Guatemala's commitments to the Inter-American
Court. While some civil society leaders suggest that the GOG
singled out Mack for her public statements alleging GOG
involvement in the recent murder of security advisor Victor
Rivera, others, including high-profile politicians, have also
had their SAAS security details withdrawn.
Lindwall