STATION INVESTIGATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN GUATEMALA

Created: 10/15/1991

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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T

TOl IMMEDIATE HIET/LA_

FOP:

SUBJECT: EYES ONLY - STATION INVESTICATION OP HCNAS PICBTS VIOLATIONS IN GOATEMALA^

prr: NONE TFXT:_

SFFVICE, THE CCATENA LAN ABNf

I. OVEP TFE PAST YEAR, STATION HAS SEEN RECEIVING INCREASINClY OISTDRBINC REPORTS OP ALLEGED BOHAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS INVOLVING TNE

OTHER -COMPONENTS Of TEE CDATEHALAN SECORITY SERVICES. WE RAVE TA*EN ALL SUCE REPORTS SERIOUSLY AND BAVl ATTEMPTED TO OBTAIN INFOPHATION TO CONFIRM OR DISPROVE THEN. OP COURSE, THIS EAS NOT BEEN EASY J THERE IS SE LDON. SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE. TO WAPPANT INTELLIGENCE DISSEMINATION.

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IN TBE PAST FEW WE EPS REPORTS RECEIVES PAVE CREATED WBAT WE BELIEVE ARE REASONABLE CROOl'DS POP PFLirviNC TPAT CERTAIN SPECIFIC ACCDSATIONS AND OTPEP, NOP E GENERAL ACCUSATIONS KAY SE TROT. WE RAVE APPIVED AT TP IS CONCLUSION NOT JUST FRON PEPOPTIMC ON INDIVIDUAL INCIDENTS, EOT ALSO FRON SOPPORTINC BEPOETING TPAT BAS PROVIDED THE "ATNOSPHEPICS' SUPROl'NDJNO TEE CASES. wr STPESS THAT IN ALL OF THESE CASES FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS WARRANTED, BUT WE PPFSENT TPE FOLLOWINC INFORPAION IN DETAIL TO PROVIDE TO BOS TNE CONTENT OF SCNE RECENT REVELATIONS. HEEDLESS TO SAT, TBE STATION PAS MADE TBE FCRTNEP INVESTIGATION OF ALL OF TPESE

INCIPFNTS A TOP PRIORITY. FOLLOWING IS RECENT INPOPNA

APPROVED FOR RELEASE DATE: 3

I'tCEIVED OH INDIVIDUAL P* N BIGHTS CASES: ^_

A. HUPDEP Of KICHA - EVINE)), . CITI2EM

THIS IS TBE APPARENT SECOENCE Of EVENTS. NDER OP HI LITAPY IONE COLONEL ARCIA)l SPOPTED TEE LOSS OF A GALIL PIFLE BY HIS TPOOPS [A SOLDI AND TOOK BIS RIFLE WITH BIH). GARCIA RAD LOST IN TBE PAST, A SEPIOOS OFFENSE AND A BLACK HARK IN RECORD. WE SPECULATE THAT GARCIA CATALAN THIS TO THE CENTRAL STAFF AND

WOULD PROBABLY RAVE THEH ORDERED THAT TPE WEAPON BE RECOVFRED, A MISSIOH THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUtT

BY THE LOCAL OFFICE, DNDEP CAPCIA'S DIPECT

COMMAND. CAPTAIN, PROM THE H2FFICE, WAS SENT TO QUESTION DEVIN E.

CONTPERAS HAD DEVINE APPFSTED AND TOOK HIM TO THE KAIBIL PASE AT POPTUN, PETEN DEPARTMENT.

DEVINE WAS TIED TO A CHAIR AND SUFFOCATfD WITH A PONCHO

IN AN ATTEMPT TO HAKE HIM TALK AFOOT THE MISSING PIFLE.

CONTRERAS CONFIRMED THAT DEVINE BAD TBE RIFLE, POT IT

WAS NOT RECOVERED iNFIl.

AT SOME POINT, DEVINE DIED OP WAS KILLED BY CONTREPAS. HIS NECK WAS CUT WITH A MACHETE (PERHAPS TO HIDE MARKS ON THE NECK FPOM THE STRANGULATION OP SUFFOCATION) AND

THE BODY WAS DUMPED ON A POAD NEAR HIS HODS F.

THIS INDICATES TPAT TPF

THTIFr COHFAND STPOCTOPE OP THE HI LITAPY IOHE HHCPE THE PLACE WAS CONTROLLED BY HEN KNOWN TO BE CAPABLE Of THE MOST CASUAL WAS

ALSO AHAN KNOWN FOP BEATING THAT (PN0I SPECIALIST

WE SEE NO

[ (ALfAPO) 1, TBE ENLISTED HEN ACCUSED IN THE

CONfLICT IN THIS VERSION Or THE STORY. CONSIDERING THE LOW REGARD IN WHICH ENLISTED HEN ARE BELD IN GUATEMALA, IK CONTPEPAS WAS IN COMMAND WHEN DEVINE WAS LLFP, JwCOLP FAVf

VER-OP HAS BEEN

.=atJri flLLEf EVEN IP SOMEBODY ELSE |SOCB AS ALPARO) DEALT TBE DEATH BL('

BELIEVES THAT THE

OPDERED BY MINISTER OP DEFENSE GENERAL LOIS ENRIOOE ENDOZA)

TO PROTECT THE APNY AND THE INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS INVOLVED.

IS OP THE SAME OPINION AND STATES TBAT MENDOIA ALONE IS BOLPING

t(BOLANOSl), TPE FOPMEP DEFENSE GIVEN TBE OPDER TO INVESTIGATE TBE THEFT OP TBE COLONEL GARCIA CAPTAIN CONTRERAS.

OP THE-INVESTIGATION OP TBE DEVINE FILLING. IN HIS OPINION, THOSE INVOLVED MOULD PAVE 8EZ!" ! CENERAL

MHO MAY

GARCIA CATALAN AND MENDOIA ARE BOTB PPOTEGES OF FORMER DEFENSE RAMAJO)]. ACCORDING RETAINS

STRONG INFLUENCE. IN THE ARMY AND CONTINUES TO INFLDENCE THE PLACEMENT OF KEY OPFICEPS. HE SAID THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TBAT THE DESIRE TO PROTECT GRAMAJO'S MEN (CAREFDLLY PLACED IN FEY PSOTIONS BEFORE BE LEFT OFFICE, IN ANTICIPATION OP BIS 5 PRESIDENTIAL FID) IS THE DPIVING POBCE BEHIND THE ABSOLUTE REFUSAL TO COOPERATE ON THE DEVINE CASE.

B. KIDNAPPING OF DIANA (lOPTIZ)l: DIANA MOBTIZ]) IS A. CITIZEN AND ROMAN CATHOLIC NON HBO CLAIMS TO RAVE BEEN riDNAPPFD AND RELEASED NOPE THAN A YEAP AGO PY GUATEMALAN

otv-'OI UNTIL HOW, STATION (AND THE EMBASSY) BAS BEEN

INCLINED TO RECAROf TOPY HIT* SUSPICION BEf" JSE Of TBE

TACTICS COMMONLY USED BY LEFTIST PROPAGANDASTS IN GDATEMALA

i

I FALSE KIDNAPPINGS, ETC. ) AND TBE DNCONVINCINC CONTENT OF BEP

jTfW tiTnMT ROWFVPP. THAT SHE HAS Ij^-FACT TM^

KIDNAPPED AS SHE CLAIMED, PROBABLY BY TBE OFFICE OF MILITARY ZONE JOJ, WITH AE BS IN CHIMALTENANGO,

CHIMALTENANGO DEPARTMENT [SHE WAS KIDNAPPED IN AWTICOA

GUATEMALA, WHICH IS IN Ml STATION MOST STRESS THAT

BAS SIMPLY SAID THAT HE KNOWS SEE WAS KIDNAPPED, BDT BAS NOT

. T

PROVIDED ANY SPECIFIC INFORMATION SURROUNDING THE KIDNAPPING.

ION WAS PROBABLY NOT

RAPED OP OTPERWISE MISTREATED AS SBE CLAIMED, HOWEVER. SAID THAT WOMEN APE NOT NORMALLY SEXOALLY MOLESTED AND IF TBEBE HAD BEEN ANY PHYSICAL MISTREATMENT BY HER CAPTORS SHE WOULD.

SAID TBAT,

IN VIEW OF THE EXTREME SENSITIVITY OF TBIS CASE, THIS ISRUCIAL POINT. AS HQS MAY, BE AWARE, TEE CA5E HAS RECEIVED EXTENSIVE NEWS COVERAGE IN TFE INCLUDING A STORY OK THE JO/20 NEWS SHOW. IN THE

HAVE BEEN KILLED RATHER THAN RELEASED. ACCORDING TC WHAT HE KNOW* OF SOCR AFFAIRS, WOMEN WHO ARE NOT RELEASED ARE OSDALLY STABBED AND LEFT AT A POBLIC BDS TERMINAL SO TBEY WILL BE FOOND AND THE DEATH REPORTED AS AN ORDINARY CRIMINAL INCIDENT. THOSE RELEASED ONHARMED ARE SOMETIMES DRUGGED AND THEN RELEASED. H THEY COME TO THEY ABE DISOPIENTED AMD OFTEN ONABLE TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED TO TPEM. THIS MAY WELL HAVE BEEN THE CASE WITS ADDED TBAT ORTIZ WAS IN CONTACT WITB LEFTIST

'AS

GUEPPILLAS, WHICH LED TO HER ARREST. WE REPEAT,

UNABLE FOBTHER DETAILS, BUT WAS CLEAR IN STATING THAT

OPTIZ KIDNAPPED

C. FRANK ARCAS)], SANDINISTA MILITARY INTELLIGENCE

WAS SHOT TO DEATH ON THE STREET IN ZONE

IN LATE ACCORDING TO

the killihc. station suspects that vapgas turned down ah

RECRUITHENT PITCH OH IGNORED A DEMAND THAT BE CEASE OPERATIONS IN GUATEMALA CITY.,.

D. HYRNA (fHACKll CHANG: THAT THE

SERVICE ASSASSINATED OPPICER ASSIGNED TO INVESTIGATE

A HBEP OP BUHAN INCLUDING THE HUPDER OP HYPNA

((HACK!) CHANG, A TBE GUATEMALAN CDERRILLA ALTHOUCfl

did not say tbat tr e

killed mack,

trat he believes prom tbe

SERVICE

nature of the killing and the attempts to shift the blame to service (the prime "suspect*, vho cannot be hehbepj that tbe

located, -is a former

REPORTED

hay well have killed hep. to balance this, that a crihinal killed the police officer because op orruption case the slain policehan was involved in. tbe

service produced a tape wbicr has a confession of. tbe

reports that the

alleced killep, a petty criminal.

service induced a criminal to take the fall fop with a promise of latep release. this is it is possible tbat the accused crihinal or others to cappy odt the killing by iv

also possible that the

wepe not involved.

including a radio, were stolen fpoh an

reports tbat in early october 1 sohe items,

vehicle that

was on a surveillance mission in guatemala city.

placed another cap with "bait" in tbe same area sohe tihe after tbe incident and eventually were able to capture is mehbers of a criminal gang operating in tbe area. they wepe locked in the back of a van. after several days without food op water, thpft of the criminals wepe taken out and shct, tpeip

tucfuiieu WITH nU'rtfS FASTED TO THEIR FOREHEADS. THESE .- HERE THEN DUMPED if . PUBLIC AREA. NOTICES HA^ APPEARED IN THE NEWSPAPER ASKING FOP INFORMATION ON THEIR 'WHEREABOUTS. THE

OTHER TWELVE WERE SHOT AND BURIED.

2. IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE, THERE ARE INDICATIONS RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AGAINST HABITUAL CRIMINALS, AND TERRORISTS , BOT WE DO NOT SAVE ANY ON OTBER CASES. IT SHOULD BE PEMEM8ERED ANY MOPDEP IH GUATEMALA IS LI KELT TO BE ATTRIBUTED IN FACT, THERE IS SO MDCH CRIMINAL

ACTIVITY HERE (NOT TO MENTION POLITICAL ACTIVITY OF A VIOLENT NATURE) THAT IT IS USUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE WHO IS REALLY RESPONSIBLE POR ANY INDIVIDUAL ACT. AN EXCELLENT

i lul^u-

IN ANOTHER INSTANCE, HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF HAVING TRACKED DOWN THE GANG THAT RAPED AND ROBBED A GROUP OP GERMAN TOORISTS. IT HAS EVEN BEEN RUMORED THAT THEY RECEIVED DIRECT ORDERS FROM THE PRESIDENT CF GUATEMALA TO DO THIS. OP COURSE, THERE IS NO PROOF WHATSOEVER TBAT THIS HAPPENED. TO FORTRER ILLUSTRATE THB POINT, THE KILLING OP FRANK VARGAS, THE SANDINISTA, HAS BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO THE SANDINISTAS, LOCAL CONTRA SUPPORTERS, LOCAL CRIMINALS (VARGAS WAS REPORTED TO BE INVOLVED IN DIRECT KINDS OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITY) AND, OP COURSE,

EXAMPLE OP TBIS WOULD BE THE KILLING OF ELEVEN PERSONS "YA" GUATEMALAN NAVjT IF THE NAVAL OPPICEPS IN CHARGE BAD NOT CARRIED OUT TBE KILLINCS IN SUCH A CLUMSY FASHION, IT IS PROBABLE THAT NOBODY WOULD HAVE EVER SOSPECTED TBE NAVY OF CARRYING OUT TBE KILLINGS. THEY MIGHT WELL SAVE BEEN FALSELY ATTRIBUTED TO

OF

WE CANNOT RULE OUT TBE

THAT BE IS WRONG AND THAT

HFRFLY BOASTING AND TAKING CREDIT POP A CRIME COMMITTED

*

ANOTHER REGARDINC TBE SOPPORTINC "ATMOSPHERICS*,

.'AVE ALL WOW REPORTED OH ATTERN OP HUMAN

VIOLATIONS BY THE

THE GUATEMALAN

IN CENEVAL. THE EARLIER MENTIONED KILLING OP ELEVEN PERSONS BY A GUATEMALAN NAVY COMMAMDEP A PEW WEEKS AGO, ATTER OT PUBLIC RECORD, IS NOW POT INTO PERSPECTIVE. THE CENERAL OPINION EXPRESSED BY ALL OF THEM IS THAT THE EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLING OF CEPTAIN CATEGORIES OF PERSONS IS ALMOST ROUTINE. IT IS APPARENTLY CONSIDERED JUSTIFIED TO KILL CUEPPILLAS WRO TO COOPERATE WITH THE ARKY, COMMON CRIMINALS AND NARCOTICS TRAPFICKEPS. REPORTS OF THIS KIND APE ONE THING, HOWEVER. PPOOP OR SOLID EVIDENCE IS ANOTHER,

COS COMMENTS: ,_

FILE: NONE.

DATE: 1 PEL:

Original document.

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