B4-1270/95

Resolution on the murder of peasant farmers in Guatemala

The European Parliament,

A. whereas on 5 October 1995 an army patrol attacked the Guatemalan village of 'Aurora 8 de octubre' in the district of Chisec, leaving eleven peasant farmers dead, including two children, and seventeen wounded,

B.whereas the President of Guatemala has assumed responsibility for the events in question and the Minister of Defence, Mr Mario Enríquez, has resigned,

C.having regard to the general agreement on human rights concluded between the Government and the guerrillas,

D.whereas the community concerned formed part of the almost 45 000 peasant farmers who fled and are now returning to the country,

1.Condemns the murder of the peasant farmers, demands a full investigation and calls for those responsible to be brought to justice;

2.Welcomes the decision by the President of the Republic to dismiss the commander of the military zone of Cobán and to accept the resignation of the Minister of Defence, as tangible evidence of his determination to ensure that those responsible are punished;

3.Hopes that the instructions issued by the President of the Republic to the National Fund for Peace will lead rapidly to the granting of compensation to the families of members of the 'Aurora 8 de octubre' community who have been killed or injured;

4.Demands that the authorities take all the necessary measures to ensure the safety of the peasant farmers who return to Guatemala so as to avoid a repetition of the appalling events in question;

5.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Government of Guatemala, the Presidential Commission on Human Rights (COPREDEH), the Archbishop's Office for Human Rights (ODHA), the Pro-Human Rights Association (PDH) and the UN Mission to Guatemala.