To get back to Arenal English verison
To get back to Arenal English verison
Costa Rica, El
Salvador, Argentina
NEW
Gay AIDS Group Denied Legal Registration in
Honduras
The Tegucigalpa based Association of Honduran Homosexuals Against
AIDS (la Asociacio'n Honduren~a de Homosexuales que Luchan Contra
el SIDA -- AHHCOS) was refused legal registration of their
organization by the Honduran Ministry of the Interior. Respectfully
worded letters are needed urging the relevant government offices to
revisit their decision and grant AHHCOS legal personality.
AHHCOS is a non governmental organization (NGO) that was formed four years ago in the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula. The group adopted their present name and location on 30 August 1992. four years ago in the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula. The group adopted their present name and location on 30 August 1992.
AHHCOS submitted their application for legal registration with letters of support from other NGOs, such as the local UNICEF office. The Honduran Ministry of Public Health recommended that the application be granted. Nonetheless, the Ministry of the Interior declined AHHCOS' application on 30 September 1994. In their written decision they contend that AHHCOS violates public order, morality and public decency. The Ministry further alleged that their rejection of the application was based on science which considers homosexuality a "sexual perversion".
Letters should politely but firmly make the following points:
1. Sound public health policy demands that communities impacted by
AIDS organize to respond in their communities. Denying legal
registration to a gay AIDS group simply sabotages promising and
necessary health interventions.
registration to a gay AIDS group simply sabotages promising and
necessary health interventions.
2. Lesbian and gay activists cannot be excluded from guarantees of
freedom of association. They deserve and need the same state
protection and recognition afforded other organized groups.
3. The ubiquity of the allegation notwithstanding, sexual minorities
do not in any way constitute a threat to public order, health or
morality. In contrast, intolerance, fear and bigotry, and the
government policies that foster them, represent serious threats to
diverse and democratic civil societies.
Write to:
Lic. Efrain Moncada Silva
Ministro de Gobernacio'n y Justicia
Tegucigalpa
Ministro de Gobernacio'n y Justicia
Tegucigalpa
HONDURAS
fax: +504-37-57-75
Lic. Carlos Roberto Reina
Presidente de la Repu'blica de Honduras
Casa Presidencial
Tegucigalpa
HONDURAS
fax: +504-34-35-92
New
Brazilian Transvestite Murdered
Gisele Gaga' (Luiz Gastao Pereira Sobrinho), a transvestite prostitute
and a well known activist from Curitiba, was shot dead at point blank
range by an off-duty military policeman, Valmir Partala, on the night
of 31 January 1995. Partala claims that he acted in self-defense,
stating that he was the victim of sexual harassment and that Gisele
tore his clothes with a knife and scratched him with her nails. His
account is disputed by numerous witnesses, who state that Gisele
was unarmed and did not have long nails, and that PartalaUs clothes
were not ripped when he fled. Local activists believe that the
incident occurred because Partala was trying to demand sexual
were not ripped when he fled. Local activists believe that the
incident occurred because Partala was trying to demand sexual
favors from Gisele without payment.
Because Brazilian law still permits the acquittal of perpetrators of murder/manslaughter on the grounds of "legitima defesa da honra" (legitimate defense of one's honor), it seems likely that Partala will try to escape punishment on these terms. Activists in Brazil are concerned that this incident be treated as a serious crime and that Partala be brought to justice.
Urgent letters are needed making the follwing points:
1. Crimes of murder should be treated as murder. Defenses like
"legitima defesa da honra" serve to diminish the seriousness of the
crime and allow the perpetrator to act with impunity.
2. Violent crimes must be taken all the more seriously when
committed by members of the military police.
3. Letter writers should make inquiries about the ways in which this
case is being investigated and about what further actions are being
taken. In referring to the case, letters should include the Inquiry
number ("Inquérito"): 42 95.
Write to:
Governador do Estado do Paraná
Jaime Lerner
Palácio Iguacu
80530-909 Curitiba - PR
BRAZIL
Fax: +55 41 254-7345
Secreta'rio de Estado da Seguranca Publica
Dr. Candido Manuel Martins do Oliveira
Rua Dep. Ma'rio de Barros, 1290
80530-913 Curitiba - PR
BRAZIL
Fax: +55-41-254-7024
Secreta'rio de Estado da Justica e da Cidadania
Dr. Edson Vidal Pinto
Rua Mal Hermes, 751-40 andar
80530-230 Curitiba - PR
BRAZIL
Fax: +55-41-254-8838
Procurador Geral da Justica
Dr. Olimpio de Sa' Sotto Maior Neto
Pala'cio da Justica
Praca Nossa Senhor da Salete, s/n-60 andar
Pala'cio da Justica
Praca Nossa Senhor da Salete, s/n-60 andar
80530-912 Curitiba - PR
BRAZIL
Fax: +55-41-252-2929 ram 206
NEW
Brazilian Minister Persecuted for Performing
Gay
Marriage
A Church minister in the state of Goia's in Brazil has been targeted
after he performed a highly publicized gay wedding in June of last
year. Letters are needed to encourage local officials to protect the
minister and to urge the U.S. based headquarters of the Protestant
Church he is affiliated with to support the Brazilian ministry.
Owaldo Alves Pereira served as the minister in a public wedding of gay activists staged in June of last year in Salvador, Brazil. The event was widely reported throughout the Brazilian press. Some of the press reports included photographs of Mr. Alves Pereira. was widely reported throughout the Brazilian press. Some of the press reports included photographs of Mr. Alves Pereira.
Since that time Mr. Alves Pereira has received numerous death threats and had his house fire bombed and had rocks thrown at it. The local police have shown little interest in the case. The Association of Churches with which Mr. Alves Pereira's is associated with in the United States has, instead of supporting him, also reacted with hostility to his activities in support of Brazilian lesbians and gays.
Letters are needed supporting Mr. Alves Pereira and asking that local law enforcement officials to find and arrest those responsible for the attacks on his home.
Write to:
Don Miller
Church of the Brethren - General Board
1451 Dundee Avenue
Elgin, Illinois 60120 - 1694
USA
fax: +1-708-742-6103
Prefeitura Municipal de Rio Verde - Goia's
Av. Pres. Vargas, 3215
CEP 75900-000
Rio Verde, Goia's
BRAZIL
Brethren Minister Council
P.O. Box 6300
Minneapolis, MN 55406-0300
USA
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NEW
Police Launch Wave of Repression in
Chihuahua,
Mexico
According to reports received by the International Gay and Lesbian
Human Rights Commission, gay men and transvestites in the Mexican
city of Chihuahua began to suffer an intense campaign of harassment
and repression beginning sometime in October of 1994. That
repression continues today. Urgent and strongly worded letters are
needed insisting that all government attacks against sexual
minorities in the state of Chihuahua cease immediately.
Groups operating in Chihuahua have documented a wide range of rights violations conducted by law enforcement officers. These rights Groups operating in Chihuahua have documented a wide range of rights violations conducted by law enforcement officers. These rights violations include verbal harassment, threats, physical attacks, beatings, mass police sweeps (including raids on bars and private homes) extortion, property damage, arbitrary arrests, illegal detentions and torture while in custody.
One common pattern is for gay men and transvestites to be stopped on the streets. They are then asked for "fines" of between 200 to 400 pesos. The fines are justified as warranted under trumped up charges of prostitution or offending public morality. Those who cannot or will not pay have been detained for periods lasting thirty six to seventy four hours. Witnesses and passersby who protest police misconduct are threatened with similar treatment.
There is evidence to suggest high level official involvement in orchestrating the wave of repression. For example, one victim alleges that the police force that raided his house was led by Miguel Angel Marti'nez, the brother of Chihuahua's Municipal President. The victim that the police force that raided his house was led by Miguel Angel Marti'nez, the brother of Chihuahua's Municipal President. The victim further alleges that Mr. Marti'nez severely beat him and accused him of being a public health menace. He was then detained for three days and fined 400 pesos after being accused of disobeying police commands and disrupting public order.
Official complaints to police authorities have been ignored. One witness claims that the chief of the Municipal Police of Chihuahua said that the complaints would not be pursued because homosexuals are "a social problem".
Strongly worded letters should make the following points:
1. The attacks cited above represent brazen violations of the most
fundamental human rights and constitutional guarantees enumerated
in numerous international treaties and the Mexican constitution. An
exhaustive and impartial investigation needs to be launched
immediately and any police officer found to be guilty of these acts
exhaustive and impartial investigation needs to be launched
immediately and any police officer found to be guilty of these acts
needs to be suspended immediately.
2. As a human rights activist you intend to keep abreast of
developments in Chihuahua. Given the current social crises in the
country, Mexico can ill afford scrutiny of this sort into its human
rights violations. Indicate your interest in knowing how your
concerns will be responded to.
Write to:
Lic. Jesu's Jose' Solis Silva
Director de Seguridad Pu'blica Municipal
Ayuntamiento de Chihuahua
Chihuahua, Chihuahua
MEXICO
Lic. Francisco Barrio Terrazas
Gobernador Constitucional del Estado de Chihuahua
Chihuahua, Chihuahua
MEXICO
fax: +52-14-16-07-19
Send copies of your letters to:
Lic. Jorge Madrazo Cuellar
Presidente
Comisio'n Nacional de Drechos Humanos
Periferico Sur No 3469
Col. San Jeronimo Lidice Deleg. Magdalena Contreas
Mexico, D.F. C.P. 10200
MEXICO
Mexico, D.F. C.P. 10200
MEXICO
fax: +52-56-81-71-99
Update
Brazilian Gay Activist Dies as Result of
Police
Beating
September/October 1994 Action
Cla'udio Orlando dos Santos, AIDS activist and president of Associacao
en Defensa dos Dereitos Homosexuais (ADDEH), died in a hospital on 3
November 1994, as a result of beatings at the hands of the Military
Police of the State of Santa Catarina. His advanced HIV disease
contributed to his death.
Cla'udio Orlando dos Santos was accosted by the Military Police on the evening of 24 May 1994, while distributing condoms donated by the Santa Catarina Health Secretariat. When the police harassed him and threatened him with imprisonment, he responded by the Santa Catarina Health Secretariat. When the police harassed him and threatened him with imprisonment, he responded by telephoning their headquarters to report the intimidation. On learning that he had done so, the military police proceeded to kick and beat him. They then handcuffed him, took him to the police station, and beat him again. Following this incident, Dos Santos filed official complaints with the civilian police and the Santa Catarina Lawyers Association.
IGLHRC has not yet recieved any word of a response from the official com[plaints filed by Cla'udio Orlando dos Santos
NUEVO:
Gay Activista muere como resultado de una
paliza
policiaca
Setiembre / Octubre Accion 1994
Cla'udio Orlando dos Santos, Un activista del SIDA y presidente de la
Associacao en defensa dos Dereitos Homosexuales (ADDEH), murio en un
hospital el 3 de Noviembre de 1994, como resultado de una golpiza por
parte de la policia Militar del Estado de Santa Catarina. El estado de
avanze de su enfermedad HIV contribuyo a su muerte.
Caludio Orlando dos Santos fue acosado por la Policia Militar en la noche del 24 de Mayo de 1994, mientras distribuia condones donados por la Secretaria de salud se Santa Catarina. Cuadno la policia, le acosaco y le amenazo con aprisionarlo, el respondio llamando a las oficinas centrales y reporto la intimidacion. Cuando estos individuos se entareraron que lo que el habia hecho, la policia militar procedio en patearle y golpearle. Luego lo esposaron y le llevaorn a la estacion de la policia, donde le golpearon nuevamente. seguidamente despues de este incidente, Dos Santos lleno un reporte donde el protestaba este trato elevo su protesta a la policia civil y la Asociacion de Abogados de Santa catarina. La Oficina de los (IGLHR) DD.HH. no ha recibido respuesta alguna de la protesta presentada por Cla'udio Orlando dos Santos.
< Fin - End >
"LA PROFESORA LESBIANA"
El lunes 17 de julio se emitió un programa de televisión que
mostró una imagen altamente positiva de una mujer lesbiana.
Fue dentro del ciclo "Sin condena" -que emite el Canal 9 de
Buenos Aires, privado- y que ficcionaliza hechos policiales
sucedidos en el pasado. Esta vez le tocó el turno al caso de
una profesora expulsada de su empleo por ser lesbiana. El
programa comienza siempre con la advertencia de que se trata
de un caso real al que se le han alterado los nombres y otras
circunstancias.
La historia muestra a la profesora Martha Luchetti, una mujer
joven, excelente profesional, convencionalmente atractiva, que
acaba de ingresar como suplente a un colegio privado de mucho
prestigio. El director de estudios intenta desde el comienzo
seducirla, sin ningún éxito: Martha es lesbiana y convive
con un amigo-ángel guardián gay, también
inteligente, buen profesional (trabaja en TV) y alejado de todo estereotipo.
Debido a su brillante desempeño, Martha es pronto promovida a
la titularidad de su cátedra, a expensas de una docente más
antigua y menos competente. Varios factores precipitan la
crisis: la ex-pareja de Martha aparece en la puerta del
colegio para decirle que sigue amándola y un alumno escucha la
conversación que mantienen; la mejor alumna, descuidada por su
familia y hostigada por sus compañeras/os se enamora de
Martha; y una ex-compañera de trabajo en otra escuela le
confirma, nada menos que a la relegada envidiosa, que Martha
es lesbiana.
Martha será acusada de haber "corrompido" a la mejor alumna, y
la despedirón alegando "reducción presupuestaria". Como
ella misma dice, "cansada de mentir", Martha elige contar la verdad
a sus alumnas/os y en el Ministerio de Educación adonde acude
a pedir ayuda. Su exigencia es que conste en el telegrama de
despido que la causa es "su condición sexual". Las gestiones
oficiales fracasan, pero las/os alumnas/os organizan una
manifestación en la puerta del colegio, llaman a la prensa
para hacer pública su protesta contra la discriminación, y
el programa termina con Martha -ataviada con una sugestiva boina
lila- diciéndole a las cámaras que ha sido despedida "por
lesbiana".
Salvo por dos escenas un tanto cuestionables, el programa
presenta una imagen bien positiva de las lesbianas. En las dos
escenas a las que me refiero la protagonista y su inseparable
amigo se lamentan del destino que nos ha tocado: en una el
motivo de queja es que "todo es más difícil para nosotros"
(el "todo" aquí significa "tener una pareja estable") y en otra es
que "nuestro amor no puede ser creativo" (es decir, que no
podemos concebir hijas/os de nuestra pareja). Como detalle al
margen, en ambas escenas es la lesbiana la que se lamenta
amargamente mientras qué aporta la voz reflexiva, sensata y
contenedora ...
Salvando esos detalles, la protagonista es cálida, agradable,
fuerte, tiene iniciativa propia y está sin duda alguna "del
lado de los buenos". La actriz elegida para personificarla es,
además de correcta, una suerte de sex-symbol local. Su
relación con la alumna es visiblemente de afecto y sin la
menor sombra de "corrupción". La relación solidaria y de
cuidado mutuo que mantiene con su amigo también es mostrada
como algo muy positivo. El programa transmitió permanenemente
la idea de que discriminar es propio de seres egoístas, poco
inteligentes y con una visión limitada de la vida. Todos los
personajes discriminadores eran, efectivamente, muy poco
atractivos si se los compara con la protagonista, su amigo,
las alumnas y alumnos.
No es la primera vez que este programa muestra imágenes
positivas de lesbianas. Ya lo hizo en por lo menos dos
emisiones anteriores. En una, retratando con muchísimo respeto
a una lesbiana de "villa miseria" que vivié varios años
haciéndose pasar por hombre y terminá asesinando a la
madre y a la hermana de su pareja por el maltrato a que éstas la
sometieron una vez que se enteraron de su verdadero sexo. Y en
otra, mostrando una relación lésbica de profundo amor y
cuidado entre dos presidiarias, la única relación nutritiva
que la protagonista pudo desarrollar en su vida.
El balance de este tipo de programas es, sin dudas, muy
positivo para las lesbianas. Algún día daremos el paso
siguiente: programas abiertamente creados y actuados por
nosotras mismas.
Saludos a todas y todos,
Alejandra Sardá
"Escrita en el cuerpo"
Archivo y Biblioteca Lésbica
Buenos Aires, Argentina
--
ales@wamani.apc.org<
< Fin - End >
El Salvador
< Armed Men Attack AIDS Foundation and Gay Men's Group; ARENA mayor tries to outlaw homosexuality
On Saturday June 24, several armed men forcibly entered the
offices of FUNDASIDA, a non-governmental organization which
supports people who are HIV positive or have AIDS. They stole
the FUNDASIDA computer with their data base, as well as their
archives. Since then, FUNDASIDA has received threatening
telephone calls, specifically against their executive director
and against the gay men's group, Entre Amigos, which had been
meeting at FUNDASIDA. Entre Amigos' archives were amongst those
stolen, and they fear for the safety of their membership.
Mario Valiente, the ARENA mayor of San Salvador, is proposing
legislation which would outlaw "homosexuality and prostitution"
in San Salvador. Reportedly, this is modeled after a similar law
in effect in Managua, where people who "look gay" are subject to
detention for no reason.<
THE MYSTERY OF ARGENTINEAN
CONSERVATIVES
Eduardo Duhalde is the Governor of Buenos Aires, the most
populated and influential province in Argentina. A popular -
conservative, until now his management has been backed up by
more than generous funds supplied by the Federal Government.
Those funds are destined to public works that generate
employment oportunities and a positive image for the
government, and also to welfare work . His province displays,
and not by mere coincidence, one of the country's most violent
police forces together with alarming poverty rates.
One of the last bills issued by Governor Duhalde was the one
prohibiting any type of public activities in the province
after 3 a.m, aimed at reducing drug comsumption and crime.
In that context, his sayings to the newspaper Pagina 12 on
July 29, seem particularly misterious. During the same
interview in which he states that "to killy an embryo is a
crime", after denying that young women who are forced to abort
(by sheer poverty) are treated like criminals in his province
(abortion is illegal in Argentina; the woman who has the
abortion and the person who helps her to have it are both
penalized), when asked what he thinks of gays marching for
their rights, the Governor answers as follows:
"I seriously regret they have to march in order to be
recognized. This issue of being discriminated against based on
your sexual preference is completely absurd. I feel sorry. I
think this type of things should not be happening, the whole
thing is outdated"
Hypothesis:
- The Governor is planning to run for President in 1999 and homosexual votes look tempting to him.
- Homosexuals are not so threatening to "good society" any
more, as we now have other species like unemployed people,
public officers in revolt because the Government has not payed
them their wages for months, etc.
- Others ..... (to be completed by the reader)
Alejandra Sarda
"Escrita en el cuerpo" - Archivo y Biblioteca Lesbica ("Written on the body" - Lesbian Archive and Library)
N.B.: According to how the question posed to the Governor and
his answer sound in Spanish, they refer to male homosexuals
only. His opinion on lesbians is unknown.
--
ales@wamani.apc.org
To get back to Arenal English verison
< Fin - End >
EL MISTERIO DE LOS CONSERVADORES
ARGENTINOS
Eduardo Duhalde es el gobernador de Buenos Aires, la provincia
argentina mas poblada y de mayor peso en la vida institucional
del pais. Conservador populista, hasta ahora ha gobernado
sostenido por una mas que generosa inyeccion de fondos del
gobierno central que se destinan a obras publicas -generadoras
de empleo y de buena imagen para el gobierno- y a
asistencialismo. Su gobierno conjuga, no casualmente, una de
las policias mas violentas del pais con indices de pobreza
alarmantes en muchos sectores de la provincia.
Una de las ultimas medidas legislativas del gobernador Duhalde
fue la de prohibir toda actividad nocturna en el territorio de
la provincia despues de las 3 a.m.
En este contexto, resultan particularmente misteriosas sus
declaraciones al diario Pagina 12 del dia 29 de Julio. En el
mismo reportaje en el que afirma que "matar un embrion es un
delito" tras negar que a las jovenes de su provincia que se
ven obligadas a abortar se las trate como a homicidas (el
aborto esta penado por la ley en Argentina, con penas para la
mujer que aborta y para quien la ayuda a hacerlo), cuando el
periodista le pregunta que piensa cuando ve las marchas en
defensa de los derechos de los (sic) homosexuales, Duhalde
responde lo siguiente:
"Lamento mucho que tengan que marchar para ser reconocidos.
Este tema de que por una preferencia sexual se discrimine es
un absurdo total. Me da pena. Me parece que no tendria que
pasar, que es muy antiguo"
Hipotesis:
- El gobernador esta en campantilde;a para postularse como candidato a presidente en 1999 y los votos homosexuales le resultan apetecibles.
- Los (sic) homosexuales ya no resultan tan amenazadores para la buena sociedad, dada la existencia de otras especies peligrosas como p.ej. las/os desempleadas/os, las/os empleadas/os estatales que protagonizan tumultos porque les adeudan sus sueldos, etc. En cuanto al status de "las" homosexuales, no hay datos. - Otras: ...... (completar a voluntad)
Alejandra Sarda
"Escrita en el cuerpo" - Archivo y Biblioteca Lesbica
--
ales@wamani.apc.org
< Fin - End >
POR UNA RAZA CON PRESENTE Y CON
FUTURO
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If you have any news bad or good of events in Latinoamerica and
Spain please write to : Daniel Soto