[mgj-discuss] Bolivia action and update
basav at igc.org
basav at igc.org
Thu Nov 3 05:09:52 GMT 2005
All,
There is some great news - people actually infiltrated the Princeton alumni
event and presented Goni with the subpoena! Details are in the press
release below.
Now is the time to put pressure on the State Department. Tell them, if
everyday citizens can track him down and present him the papers, so can the
State Department!
Also check out the photos on the link in the press release.
==========================================================================
PRESS STATEMENT
Contact:
Doug Hertzler 202 529-5378 or 301 864-1312
Sara Grusky 202 454-5133
Bolivia: Sacha Llorenti, Permanent Human Rights Assembly of Bolivia
011 591 720 66290 or 011 591 224 40611 or 011 591 224 40624
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: PHOTO LINK BELOW
EXILED BOLIVIAN PRESIDENT SERVED LEGAL DOCUMENTS AT WASHINGTON WINE AND
CHEESE RECEPTION
November 1, 2005, Washington, DC – Former Bolivian president, Gonzalo
Sanchez de Lozada (1991-1997, 2002-2003) was served with legal documents
today by U.S. citizens acting on behalf of Bolivian human rights
organizations. Mr. Sanchez de Lozada is being summoned to testify in an
investigation undertaken by the Bolivian Office of the Attorney General
where he is accused of the wrongful deaths, injuries, illegal imprisonment
and other crimes against Bolivian citizens. More than 50 people, including
an 8-year old girl, were killed in the violent repression unleashed by Mr.
Sanchez de Lozada against Bolivians protesting his regime in September and
October 2003. Shortly after the violence, the former president fled
Bolivia and now resides in Washington, D.C. The legal documents request
that Mr. Sanchez de Lozada return to Bolivia to testify within the next 45
days.
Mr. Sanchez de Lozada was speaking at a wine and cheese reception sponsored
by a non-profit group associated with Princeton University in downtown
Washington, D.C. After the State Department failed for four months to
serve Mr. Sanchez de Lozada with the legal documents, Washington area
residents became aware of his public appearance and decided to take matters
into their own hands. The legal documents were transmitted to the U.S.
State Department on June 22, 2005.
Photos of the event at link below
Mr. Sanchez de Lozada served legal papers:
http://genuineimagephotography.com/sanchezdelozada
For further information and background in Spanish:
juicioagoniya.free.fr
###
COMUNICADO DE PRENSA
Información de contacto:
Doug Hertzler 202 529-5378 or 301 864-1312
Sara Grusky 202 454-5133
Bolivia: Sacha Llorenti, Asamblea Permanente de Derechos Humanos
011 591 720 66290 o 011 591 224 40611 o 011 591 224 40624
EL EXILIADO PRESIDENTE BOLIVIANO RECIBE EN WASHINGTON LOS DOCUMENTOS
LEGALES SOBRE SU JUICIO DURANTE UNA RECEPCION SOCIAL
1ero. De noviembre 1, 2005, Washington, DC – el Ex presidente boliviano
Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada (1991-1997, 2002-2003) recibió los documentos
legales sobre su juicio de manos de ciudadanos estadounidenses a nombre de
las organizaciones de derechos humanos en Bolivia. El Sr. Sánchez de Lozada
es requerido para testificar en la investigación llevada a cabo por las
autoridades bolivianas donde es acusado por la muerte, los heridos,
encarcelamiento y otros crímenes cometidos contra cientos de ciudadanos
bolivianos. Mas de 50 personas, incluida una niña de ocho años fueron
asesinados en violentas protestas durante el mandato del Sr. Sánchez de
Lozada y contra los ciudadanos bolivianos que protestaban contra su régimen
en septiembre y octubre de 2003. Poco después de desatada la violencia, el
presidente salió de Bolivia y ahora reside en Washington D.C. Los
documentos legales entregados requieren que el Sr. Sánchez de Lozada
retorne a Bolivia para testificar en un plazo de 45 días.
El Sr. Sánchez de Lozada se encontraba hablando en una recepción social en
el centro de Washington auspiciada por un grupo asociado a la Universidad
de Princenton. Después de que el Departamento de Estado fallara en el
intento durante 4 meses de hacer la entrega de estos documentos, residentes
de Washington fueron alertados de que el Ex presidente se haría presente en
este evento y decidieron tomar el asunto en sus propias manos. Los
documentos fueron suministrados al Departamento de Estado el 22 de junio de
2005.
Fotos de la entrega en el link de abajo
http://genuineimagephotography.com/sanchezdelozada
Para más información en español ver:
juicioagoniya.free.fr
==========================================================================
CALL TO ACTION
Dear supporters of global justice,
Please take the following action to support justice for the people of
Bolivia, and to support the principle that people worldwide have the right
to resist neoliberal economic policies that are killing them, without
having to face violent repression.
Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada aka Goni, the former President of Bolivia, is
wanted in Bolivia on serious charges, including using state security forces
to brutally repress people's struggles against neoliberal economic
policies, and embezzling money.
Now, Goni is living in the US. The Bolivian government sent a subpoena for
Goni to the US government on June 22, but the US government has till date
not served him with the subpoena, even though it's their legal obligation
to do so.
We need to deluge the State Department with calls to let them know that we
expect them to do their duty!
A group of citizens in Washington DC went to a public event that Goni was
speaking at, and presented him with a copy of the subpoena papers. If
citizens in Washington DC can do it, so can the State Department!
Here are numbers to call:
Thomas Shannon
Asst. Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs
U.S. Department of State
202-647-5780
Lawrence Petroni
Boliva Desk
U.S. Department of State
Fax: 202-647-4193
For language to use in your calls, please see background materials below:
1. A letter to the U.S. government from relatives of victims of repression.
2. A flyer with background info about Goni.
A few general points to remember:
• Please be firm but polite.
• Make it clear that you are aware that the U.S. government has been
formally notified by the Bolivian government about the subpoena more than 4
months back, on June 22.
• Make the point that the U.S. government is legally obligated to serve
Goni with the subpoena.
• Do not use the term extradition. Extradition proceedings can begin only
after he has been served the subpoena and a further 45 days have elapsed
and he hasn’t gone back to Bolivia.
============================================================================
==========
October 27, 2005
President George W. Bush
The White House
Fax: 202-456-2461
Office of the Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice
Fax: 202-261-8577
Office of the Attorney General
Alberto R. Gonzalez
Phone: 202-353-1555
RE: US Government Obligation to Serve Legal Papers to Former Bolivian
President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada
Dear US Government Officials:
As plaintiffs in the trial to bring justice to the victims of violent
repression carried out by the Bolivian government during October 2003, we
are writing to insist that the US Government comply with its legal
responsibilities in the case of former President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada.
As you are aware, Mr. Sánchez de Lozada and two former Bolivian ministers
are living in the US after fleeing Bolivia in October 2003.
The government of the Republic of Bolivia has formally requested that Mr.
Sánchez de Lozada, and his former ministers Carlos Sanchez Berzain and
Jorge Berindoague return to Bolivia to provide testimony to the Fiscal
General of the State of Bolivia, who is in charge of the investigation for
this case. The Bolivian State transmitted on June 22 a subpoena to the
U.S. State Department for the return of Sánchez de Lozada and his former
ministers to Bolivia, however the process appears to be stagnating there.
It is imperative that the US fulfill its international legal obligations in
this matter.
For the past four months, the United States has not served Mr. Sánchez de
Lozada with notification of the subpoena. We are writing to inform you that
Mr. Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada will be appearing at the DACOR house, 1801 F
St. NW, Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, November 1st, 2005 between the hours
of 7 and 9 pm for a public presentation.
This public appearance by the former President in your country's capital
provides the US Government with a clear opportunity to fulfill its legal
obligation to serve Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada with said notice. Further
delays would be an obstacle to the judicial process in Bolivian as well as
international law. We look forward to receiving your response.
Sincerely,
Nestor Salinas Sacha Llorenti
President President
Association of the Relatives Permanent Assembly of Human
of the Heroes Fallen in the Defense of the Gas Rights of Bolivia
Telf/Fax. 591 2 2440611 (La Paz)
cc: U.S. Embassy in Bolivia;
Fax: 591-2-216-8000
Lawrence Petroni
U.S. Department of State
Boliva Desk
Fax: 202-647-0791
============================================================================
===========
To US: Stop Obstructing Bolivian Democracy!
Former President Lozada Must Stand Trial
WHO IS GONZALO SANCHEZ DE LOZADA “Goni”?
• Lozada served as president of Bolivia from 1991-1997 and 2002-2003.
• He set in motion a World Bank/ International Monetary Fund imposed
economic policy the led the country to economic collapse.
• When Bolivians took to the streets, Lozada imposed a brutal
crackdown that ended in the deaths of over 80 Bolivian civilians.
 In 2003, Lozada fled to the U.S
Now Bolivians are seeking justice, but the U.S. is standing in the way.
BLACK FEBRUARY
In February 2003 Goni sought to impose an IMF-demanded economic belt
tightening package which included new taxes on people earning less that
$120 per month. The national protests that resulted and Sanchez de
Lozada's repressive actions to quash those protests led to the deaths of
thirty four people.
THE GAS WAR
In September and October 2003 a new wave of popular protest erupted in
Bolivia in opposition to Sanchez de Lozada's secret plans to sell Bolivian
gas to California. Sanchez de Lozada's repression of those protests led
to the deaths of more than fifty people including, in the rural town of
Warisata, Marlene Nancy Ramos, an 8 year-old girl. His government's
repression led his own Vice President to break with him and ultimately to a
massive national call for his removal from office. On October 17, 2003
Sanchez de Lozada fled to the the US.
US SUPPORT
During both his administrations the US government has supported Goni and
his government. When he fled in October 2003 with two of his key ministers,
Carlos Sanchez Berzain and Jorge Berindoague he also took with him over $7
million obtained by passing a secret government decree. Since that date the
three of them have been living in the US.
WHAT DO BOLIVIANS WANT?
Since the events of October 2003 the Bolivian people have been fighting to
see justice done. In an historical precedent, the Bolivian Congress has
subpoenaed Lozada and 9 of his ministers. On June 6th 2005 the Bolivian
Foreign Ministry presented to the US State Department the legal
notification requesting that the three ex-officials living in exile return
to testify. Four months have passed and the US has still not served this
notification to Lozada, Berzain and Berindoague. The US government has been
influential in bringing to trial Saddam Hussein for crimes against humanity
and other charges of murder and corruption. It is time they stopped their
hypocrisy and stopped impeding the Bolivian justice process. The US
government must serve Goni and his ministers notice, it is their legal
obligation to do so and to help bring justice to the families of those who
died.
YOU CAN HELP BRING GONI TO JUSTICE!
Get involved with the campaign to bring Goni back to Bolivia to stand
trial. See juicioagoniya.free.fr for information in Spanish. To learn
what you can do to help, email solidaridad_bolivia at yahoo.com
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