From: International Gay Lesbian Human Rights Commission Date: 15 Apr 94 20:57 PDT Subject: MEXICO:Chiapas - Fiscal Especial INTERNATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION 514 Castro Street, San Francisco, California 94114 USA Tel. 415.255.8680 Fax Tel. 415.255.8662 International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission Press Release April 7, 1994 Contact: Jose Maria Covarrubias, +52-5-536-8242 Jorge Cortinas, 415-255-8680 Governor of Chiaspas Bows to Gay Pressure -- Reopens Investigation Into Murders Representatives from Lesbian and Gay groups attended a series of meetings this week with Mexican officials in order to pressure them to move forcibly towards solving a series of murders of transvestites in Mexico's southern state of Chiaspas. The two days worth of meetings ended yesterday that the Governor of Chiaspas would would appoint Jorge Gamboa, a private attorney based inTuxtla Guiterrez, as independent investigator charged with reopening the cases. The meetings with the governor and state attorney of Chiapas were organized by the Mexico City based Circulo Cultural Gay and attended by representatives of the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) and the International Lesbian & Gay Association (ILGA). Circulo Cultural Gay has been investigating the assassinations of at least 15, and possibly as many as 25, transvestites and gay men. The killings happened between June of 1991 and February of 1993, most of them in Tuxtla Guiterrez. Many of the victims were killed with the same high caliber bullets used by the police, their bodies sometimes showing signs of torture. Although the peasant insurrection launched this year by the EZLN (Zapatista Army for National Liberation) is largely credited with creating the political aperture that is forcing the governor of Chiapas to reopen the unsolved cases, it remains to be seen how far this political willingness, and by extension Gamboa's investigation, can be pushed. Observers expressed the need for all levels of the Mexican government to support as fully as possible the difficult work of the independent investigator. "In the context of Chiapas, where witnesses have good cause to fear testifying, and where not all sectors of the judicial system can be expected to cooperate, the investigation can only succeed if the highest levels of the Mexican government ensure that Gamboa receives all the resources, cooperation & security he needs," said Jose Maria Covarrubias of Circulo Cultural Gay. Representatives from the international groups hastened to add that they would follow closely the course of the investigation, paying special attention to the safety and well being of Gamboa as well as the members of Circulo Cultural Gay. "We intend to mobilize as much international attention from both governmental and non-governmental players as we can," said Jorge Cortinas of the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission. "We will hod the Mexican government responsible should any of those brave enough to speak out suffer any consequences. The citizens of Chiapas have already waited too long for the perpetrators of these assassinations to be brought to justice. # # #