US embassy cable - 03GUATEMALA1853

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 001853 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O.12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, PREL, EAID, GT 
SUBJECT:  AIDS Worker Escapes Kidnapping 
 
 
1.  (U)  Summary:  Violence against human rights workers has 
escalated in recent months and a group working to educate street 
workers on the prevention and danger of HIV/AIDS has been the 
most recent victim of such assaults.  There have been several 
threats and acts of intimidation against workers of the 
Organization to Support Integrated Sexuality Against AIDS 
(OASIS) as a result of stigmatization and discrimination against 
those of diverse sexual orientation.  End Summary. 
 
Background 
--------------- 
2.  (U)  An estimated 67,000 people (out of a population of 12 
million) in Guatemala are HIV positive, and approximately 5,619 
people have AIDS.  Seventy-three percent of these are male.  The 
communities most at risk are homosexual males (11.5 percent), 
followed by prostitutes (4.7 percent). 
 
3.  (U)  OASIS is one of the only human rights groups in 
Guatemala working with homosexual men and prostitutes in order 
to curb HIV/AIDS infection rates among these high-risk 
communities.  The organization originated ten years ago as part 
of the Association for Integrated Health, and educates 
homosexual men on prevention issues associated with the HIV 
virus.  Approximately 100 people attend weekly meetings 
concerning HIV prevention, mental health, self-esteem and other 
health related topics.  Moreover, OASIS works with about 1,000 
prostitutes every month to prevent contraction of HIV and sells 
condoms to them for a price of ten cents, about half the street 
value of a condom. 
 
OASIS Director Receives Threats 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
4.  (U)  On July 10, POL Intern and ECON Intern met with Jorge 
Lopez Sologaistoa, Executive Director of OASIS, who has become 
another victim of the recent wave of human rights abuses 
afflicting Guatemala.  He recounted that on the morning of May 
13, 2003, two unarmed men kidnapped Lopez while he was walking 
to his car.  One of the assailants forced him into the back of 
the car, blindfolded him and restrained his head to constrict 
his sight while the other man drove away from the scene.  Lopez 
escaped during momentary confusion when his kidnappers nearly 
collided with another car.  They did not pursue him on foot. 
Lopez has also received repeated threats over the telephone. 
 
5.  (U)  Lopez wrote a full page complaint of the incident which 
appeared in el Periodico on June 7.   The complaint advocated 
human rights for all people regardless of economic condition, 
gender, or sexual orientation.  Seventy-five other organizations 
from seventeen countries signed onto the complaint expressing 
their solidarity with OASIS's cause. 
 
6.  (U)  Lopez noted that acts of intimidation and other human 
rights violations are frequent in his line of work.  He contends 
that low ranking police officers are believed to be involved in 
committing these acts.  He also believes that further acts of 
aggression will occur, but that he will continue his work and 
will not allow these actions to stop him from achieving the 
goals and objectives of his organization. 
 
Comment 
---------- 
7.  (U)  The kidnapping attempt against Lopez, and the frequent 
attacks against homosexuals, occur in a context of growing 
violent crime affecting all Guatemalans, and an increase in 
threats against human rights workers specifically.  Homosexuals 
and those with AIDS are targets of violent discrimination due to 
lack of education and awareness in some sectors of society.  We 
will continue to monitor and report on this situation.