From cblanca@sol.racsa.co.cr Fri Jun 23 17:50:19 1995 Received: from qrd.rdrop.com (qrd.rdrop.com [199.2.210.245]) by abacus.oxy.edu (8.6.10/8.6.11) with ESMTP id RAA06306 for ; Fri, 23 Jun 1995 17:49:28 -0700 Received: from sol ([200.9.56.10]) by qrd.rdrop.com (8.6.9/8.6.9) with SMTP id RAA23789 for ; Fri, 23 Jun 1995 17:31:35 -0700 Received: from sol.racsa.co.cr by sol (5.0/SMI-SVR4) id AA09972; Fri, 23 Jun 1995 18:45:31 +0600 Message-Id: <9506231245.AA09972@sol> From: Harald Holler Date: Fri, 23 Jun 95 18:50:59 -2400 To: wwwstaff@qrd.org Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Mozilla/1.0N (Macintosh) Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Subject: Queerplanet Mailing list Problem caused by me???? X-Url: http://www.qrd.org/qrd/www/mail.html Content-Length: 28246 X-Lines: 747 Status: RO Hello there, I was sending yesterday an email with two photos as attachment concerning the discrimination of g/l in Costa Rica. I have not received any mail from the queerplanet eversince!!! If the mailing list got blocked by the mass of datas please look for the message "La Nacion" and delete the whole message! I already put new messages which are more important because the discrimination continues or better gets stronger!! In case that's the wrong adress please forward! I can hardly access the Internet because of extense use or perhaps that somebody at the states monopoly for telecommunicatios tries to make me problems!!! In case you are totally unaware of the situation here please note attached sheets!!! Very kind regards Harald ---------- NEW DISCRIMINATION / ACTION ALERT 1. Today "La Nacion" was -not- publishing what their e-mails yesterday stated! "La Nacion" is not redrawing from their article about sex tourisme dated 6/14/95 in which tey cannected visually Hotel Colours to sex tourisme and prostitution. The article was based on "La Prensa Libre" and Reuter and written in the name of "La Nacion" by Magarita Arteagara. 2. "La Nacion" has REJECTED our try to buy one page in next sunday's edition to publish our resolution against discrimination of gay/lesbians in Costa Rica!!!! This rejection is in deed a worse discrimination than the articles written!!!!! Beside that we our lawyers stated that we will have now the chance to sew not only reporter Rosibel Mena V and "La Prensa Libre" (it's director stated last monday that all the national press supports Rosibel Mena and he defended her articles!!!) but possibly also "La Nacion" for denying us to buy one page for our declaration at the Supreme/Constitutional Court (Sala IV). We will study this possibility within the next days!!!! 3. Government has not made any statement about the discrimination!!! (email them your protest!!!) 4, There are serious hints that behind the discrimination is more than Rosibel Mena V.. This situtation is getting highly frightening!! We need your support! Please forward and email or copy and paste and fax the most important contents of my mails to any person or company you can think they might helpfull!!! Please forward to amnesty international!! (We think that the rejection of our paid page at "La Nacion" is already a case for them) Please try to get political persons, companies, actors, writers etc. to send a letter of protest!!!!! We need your support now!!! ACT UP! Very kind regards Harald Holler ----------- hello out there the international support slowed very much down!! I had to find out, that many people are not yet informed about what is going on in Costa Rica for not having e-mail!! IGTA had received all information by fax but they were unable to defend one of their members (Casa Blanca) by supporting our fight against the discrimination here. I need urgently statistics about the gay/lesbian travel market! I would highly appreciate to have a member of IGTA like American Airlines making a letter of protest (what about an actor!!). Most gay/lesbian magazines are still unaware, too!!! Please copy and paste the most important messages I put on the Internet and fax them to people and institutions which might be intereste to help our fight!!! "La Prensa Libre" wrote yesterday again about Costa Rica = Sex Paradise but I had no chance to get the paper, yet!!! The Costarican government has not yet made any statement concerning the discrimination made by "La Prensa Libre" and its reporter which was compared by members of the European Parliament with the way Hitler used to kill thousands of homosexuals in the concentration camps!!! (I think that should make it serious enough to join the protest!!!!)!!! Some of the first negative results from instutiones from the state: Migration Police dropped in to control the books (which they have never done before at least not during the last 3 1/2 years and what they had to do regularly) Tourist Bureau and Tax Office are studying already our files to get hold of something bad (guess why?!) and anounced an investigation in our hotel (I do not know any other hotel in our area which was inspected the last 4 years!!!). We have everything up to date, we never worked illegally. That's not the problem, but it seems that the old "putting pressure" game we all know very well from other states and from the history of gay/lesbian places in the US and Europe. The glbt movement of Costa Rica will publish on this sunday one page in "La Nacion" with our resolution against discrimination of homosexuals in Costa Rica!!! I will translate and sent it to you on sunday!!! For those who are yet unaware I am attaching the most important messages I sent! Thank you very much for your support and remember: one of the biggest supports is if you keep on visiting Costa Rica!!!!!!! Harald Holler Hotel Casa Blanca Manuel Antonio / Costa Rica P.S. New: our lawyer claims that we cal also sew the newspaper "La Prensa Libre" I am out of the office from 6/26 to 7/7, for being the only one from our g/l/b/t movement, please in case of very important questions please FAX to: "Gente 10", Sr. Jose Carrasquero Diaz, (+506) 285-5368!!!!!!!!! *************************** Messages sent 13 to 16th of June *************************** to the gay/lesbian worldwide community In all democratic Costa Rica, where no laws exist to discriminate gays/lesbians the national newspaper "La Prensa Libre" published today 6/13/95 the first report (promotion of Costa Rica as a homosexuell paradies, prostitution, gays and lesbians) of in total three reports stating that the gay/lesbian exclusively hotels: Joluva Guesthouse, Colours and Casa Blanca de Ml. Ant. (Casa Blanca owned by my lover and myself) are connected to prostitution. The report states further that on the Internet are existing services which are promoting the sex turisme to these hotels, which is of course not true! The very offending first report (the owners of the mentioned hotels are described as scrupelous people) is saying, too, that the international promotion of gay/lesbian places in Costa Rica is in deed embarrassing for the nation and that the fact that agencies try to bring gay/lesbian tourisme to Costa Rica is a public offense against the politc of our President Jose Maria Figueres Olsen to promote eco-tourism. The reporter - Mrs. Rosibel Mena - states that unfortunately the laws of Costa Rica are not strong enough to accuse the gay/lesbian hotels! She even filed above mentioned hotels to the national tourist chamber (CANATUR) and the Tourist Ministery (ICT) stating that these hotels are internationally promoting their places being dedicated to prostitution! The article is based on a information about a gay/lebian tour package to Costa Rica issued by "Amphitron Holidays", Washington DC. Beside that this information is not talking about prostitution, not one of the Costarican gay/lesbian hotels were ever asked to be included in the package. We all do not know that agency at all nor how we got included into their package. The reporter Mrs. Mena visited me personally to get an interview. During that Interview I confirmed her that we do not have any connection to "Amphitron Holidays" and that we do not know how we got included into their package! In that interview I made clear that we -Casa Blanca- are in fact a gay/lesbian hotel and explained to her that it would be better if she would write in favour of the gay/lesbian society in Costa Rica to get more tolerance and acceptance. She promised to do so, but she falsificated all dates from the interview to start an "inquisition" on us hotel owners and to ask for legal prosecution! I am lucky for being able to name our receptionist as witness for that what really was talked during that interview, because she followed the whole conversation! All hotels together will search tomorrow for legal support to sew the newspaper for discrimination, falsification of information, damaging the reputation of our buisnesses and ourselves as owners! For showing our Casa Blanca entrance with rainbow logo and rainbow flags "La Prensa Libre" even connect the Gay Pride movement and symbols to prostitution!! The biggest newspaper "La Nacion" will print tomorrow an interview I gave them today, correcting the lies from "La Prensa Libre" by informing the public with the real base and facts of the article. We - Colours, Joluva and Casa Blanca - would highly appreciate your kind support by sending your letters of protest (as many as you can write) to: La Nacion: e-mail: webmaster@nacion.co.cr La Prensa Libre: Fax: (+506) 223-4671 Casa Presidencial President Jose Maria Figueres Olsen: Fax: (+506) 253-9078 Tourist Ministery Ing. Carlos Roesch Fax: (+506) 255-4997 Defensoria de Habitantes Defensor Lic. Rodrigo Carazo Zeledon Fax: (+506) 296-2512 CANATUR Fax: (+506) 253-8102 In case somebody of you has connections to ILGA and/or the United Nations Council for Human Rights, please do us the favor to forward this message to them! If you know powerful travel agencies or their travel boards please forward this message, too!!! Please write the letters asap. for stopping that "inquisition" by international protest as soon as possible! I would like to thank you in advance in the name of the mentioned hotels for your kind support, very kind regards Harald Holler Hotel Casa Blanca de Ml. Ant., S.A. Manuel Antonio / Costa Rica *************************** NEW AGRESSION AGAINST GAY/LESBIAN HOTELS IN COSTA RICA Today's editions from the Costarican national newspapers "La Prensa Libre" and unfortunately also "La Nacion" (which yesterday promised to correct the discriminations and lies made by "La Prensa Libre") called an "inquisition" down on Hotel Joluva, Hotel Colours and Hotel Casa Blanca - Costa Rica's gay/lesbian hotels. Both papers are statig that gay/lesbian tourisme is naturally connected to prostitution and sex-tourisme. Therefore the catholic church and other institutions like the tourist bureau (ICT) are asking to find the legal methods of closing all gay/lebian hotels down! In the constitution of Costa Rica minorities are protected by law from discrimination! I just received dead threats by phone and I had a self nominated commission "for the closing of hotel Casa Blanca" calling me to advise me that they want to destroy physically our hotel! I have no chance to get E-Mail address for the govermental offices of Costa Rica (I doubt that they have E-Mail!), so please support us by sending your letters of protest to the following fax numbers. Please forward this message to all people and organisations which might help us. We will elaborate the accusation of "La Prensa Libre" and "La Nacion" today to present it today or latest tomorrow to the supreme court! Please give us as much support as possible! Thank you very much for you kind support! Kindest regards Harald Holler Hotel Casa Blanca Manuel Antonio / Costa Rica *********************************** Manuel Antonio 06/15/95 To the international gay/lesbian community: It's pathetic that only a few letters of protest where sent! I am invited for an interview today at the local radio station and to a live show next week at one of the biggest TV channels of Costa Rica (Channel 4 - Univision)! It would be very nice, If I could say that we (gay/lesbian hotels and gay/lesbian society of Costa Rica) have got a very strong international support!!!!!!! Our lawsuit against the papers "La Prensa Libre" and "La Nacion" will be based on the following reasons: 1. Both papers are stating that homosexuality and prostitution are directly connected and they use prostitution as a synonym for homnosexualtity! 2. For that reason they put us in a criminal backround because in Costa Rica prostitution is forbidden by law! 3. To equal homosexuality with prostitution is a discrimination! Costa Rica's constitution forbids the discrimination of minorities and the laws are not showing any difference concerning the age of consense which is 16 years for g/l/b and heterosexuals. 4. The Supreme/Constitutional Court (Sala IV) of Costa Rica decided last year that the existance of gay/lesbian stores, bars, discos is not illegal and not against the constitution and that gays/lesbian are protected by the constitution which forbids discrimination of minorities! 5. Both newspaper are stating that the gay/lesbian tourisme is nothing else than 100% sex - tourisme which is against moral and culture and which is against the government's politic of the promotion of ECO-TOURSIME!!! 6. Costa Rica is member of the UNO and accepted the Magna Carta of the Human Rights. Discriminations like the reported one must be made public and must be discussed internationally. Costa Rica receives money from all over the world for ecological and social projects. One of the biggest donations are coming from the Netherlands, proud and tolerant host of the Gay Olympics 1999!! If these points are not enough to make you move, than I do not know what the international gay/lesbian groups exist for!!! All gay/lesbian bars and discos from Costa Rica are joining us in our fight and we will buy one page of "La Nacion" to present the letter of accusation to the public! Yesterday a party was held at gay/lesbian disco "Deja Vue" which was interrupted to make a call to join our fight against discrimination in general and in the case of "La Nacion" and "La Prensa Libre" in particular! It is the first time for Costa Rica that the gay/lesbian society is joining together to enter a political fight for our human rights! I will post you still today a letter from "Gente 10" - Costa Rica's new, first and only gay/lesbian magazin about the result of the party at "Deja Vue". Please note the following letter which was sent to "La Prensa Libre": Original Text: Senor Andres Borrase San Jose 14/06/1995 Director - Presidente La Prensa Libre Presente Estimado senor: Como persona, como ciudadano, como humanista, como abogado, como padre y como abuelo me encuentro indignado por la tergiversacion que ha hecho la periodista Rosibel Mena V. entre los terminos prostitucion y homosexualismo. Solo la homofobia y la lesbofobia (miedo o repudio al gay y a la lesbiana) pueden ser los motivos que impulsen la redactora en su desconocimiento. Hoy bien se sabe que la homofobia y la lesbofobia tienen origen no solo en factores culturales sino en las propias inseguridades sexuales del fobico o fobica. Ojala que la Prensa Libre cese en este tipo de articulos que solo odio y prejuicios fomentaran entre sus lectores, contra uno de los sectores mas discriminados socialmente. Atentamente Marco Castillo Rojas ID Card # 3-162-262 ------------------------------------ Translation of the text: ------------------------------------ Dear Sir, as person, as citizen, as humanist, as lawyer, as father and as grandfather I am furious about the distortion (twisting) of the terms prostitution and homosexuality made by reporter Rosibel Mena V. Only the homophobia y lesbophobia (fear or repudiation against gays or lesbians) could have been the reasons which impulsed the reporter in her unawareness. Today we know very well that homophobia and lesbophobia is not also originated in cultural factors but also by the own sexual insecurity of the phobic person. Hopefully "La Prensa Libre" will end this kind of articles which only will build up hate and prejudges among its readers against the socially most discriminated sector. Sincerely Marco Castillo Rojas ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------- I will ask "GLTravlWeb@aol.com" to put a pedition on their homepage to be signed hopefully by all of you stating: I support the fight of the gay/lesbian society of Costa Rica against discrimination! I am against the discriminating twisting between prostitution and homosexuality and the equal use of both words for gays/lesbians, as made by the newspapers "La Nacion", "La Prensa Libre" in their articles dated 13/6/95 and 14/6/95! I protest against the statement of both newspapers that the gay/lesbian tourisme is nothing else than sex tourisme. The gay/lesbian tourisme is highly interested in the natural beauty and wildlife of Costa Rica and the conservation of the biodiversity in the primary rainforests all over the world. I kindly ask the Costarican Government and authorties to stop that kind of discrimination which is forbidden by Costa Rica's Constitution and laws and by the Magna Carta of Human Rights from the United Nations! Sincerely ........ ********************* To the international gay/lesbian worldwide community: After the last article was published yesterday at "La Prensa Libre" life comes back to normal which allows the following: FINAL EVALUATION: Thanks to your letters of protest, yesterdays edition of "La Prensa Libre" gave a report about what people in our region (Quepos) and nationwide are thinking about gays, together with parts of the interview I gave the reporter Rosibel Mena V.. ---- So far so good, but ....... ---- All 4 articles from "La Prensa Libre" were front page articles (as if the world has nothing more important to be reported!)!!! 6/13/95 Front Page: Prostituion, Homosexuality and Lesbianisme COSTA RICA: SEX - "PARADISES" . the nation without legal instruments to prevent it . sex centers all over the country Article Headline and Intention: Prostitution, Homosexuality and Lesbianisme COSTA RICA PROMOTED AS HOMOSEXUAL PARADISE (color photo of Casa Blanca entrance with rainbow flags, photo of Joluva Guesthouse) Articles starts with: "Prostitution, Homosexuality and Lesbianisme have found in Costa Rica a paradise, worth for being promoted en the mayor cities of the world. Since month scrupelous people have put Costa Rica on the map for sex tourisme with messages included in satelites, sex magazins and homosexual magazins with wide circulation in the world. The situation qualified by the authorites as very serious for the international reputation of Costa Rica could not have been controled for legal limitations....." "...... papers as "Gente 10" or the "Spartacus" which are sold abroad are serving the owners of gay places in Costa Rica as worldwide promotion. But those guides leave the ecological tourisme out, which is promoted whith big efforts by our president Jose Maria Figueres Olsen, or the traditional tranquility, peace and democracy Costaricans are enjoying........" (in this article the reporter files us (gay/lesbian) hotels to tourist ministery, president, national tourist chamber as places for sex tourisme and prostitution) 6/14/95 Front Page: The law no restricts gay centers WITHOUT DEFENSES AGAINST SEX TOURISME . courts resolution protects gays in one or the other form . owners for hotels for homosexuales are speaking Article Headline and Intention: The law no restricts gay centers COSTA RICA WITHOUT DEFENSES AGAINST SEX TOURISME (Photo from Hotel Colours) Article starts with: "Costa Rica is without any defense against this wave of international promotion whicht defines the country like paradise for prostitution, lesbianisme and homosexuality! Costarican authorities are with tied hands for doing somethinmg against this masive publicity..." (this article still links Colours, Joluva and Cas Blanca to sex tourisme for nothing else than being gay/lesbian hotels but at least this article states the supreme courts decision that gays are protected against sexual discrimination and that gays have the right to create their own bars, hoteles etc.. states authorities are confirming that the mentioned three hotels are having all legal permits and are paying all necesary taxes! On the same page the owners of Deja Vue - who caused the supreme courts decision for putting a lawsuit after this mostly gay/lesbian disco whas target of a violant police action which had no legal backround! - confirmed that gay/lesbian tourist like to travel in groups or with their longtime companion and that's all and that gay's are as normal as any other person. The hotel owners are confirming that they operate simply as hoteles and nothing else!) 6/15/95 Front Page: For articles at "La Prensa Libre" INDIGNATION IN GAY COMMUNITY . they are receiving support letters from abroad . they will take case to comisions for the Human Rights Article Headline and Intention: For publicacions from "La Prensa Libre" INDIGNATION IN GAY COMMUNITY (this article is dedicated completely to the letters of protest being sent to us, tourist bureau, tourist chamber, etc. and contains some of the letters fully printed, which are stating the Costa Rica's international reputation is damaged by the discrimination of gay/lesbians. The article contains my statements that the gay/lesbian travel market is a clean and healthy sector of international tourisme which has nothing to do with drugs and/or drugs, the only bad thing of this article is that at the end we are connected again to end: Jacobo Schifter from the latinamerican institute for prevention and edducion in health sector says that sex tourisme is against safer sex and sex for money should not be promoted. I accused Schifter for relating us again to sex tourisme and he called me back immediatly to declare that he was interviewed over sex tourisme only and that he is convinced that our place have nothing to do withit, only that reporter Rosibel Mena printed only what was convenient for her!!) 6/16/95 Front Page: Homosexuality is something normal in the area IMPACT OF VALUES IN QUEPOS . formation of cildren in confuse situation . wide ranged analyses from specialists about phenomen Article Headline and Intention: IN QUEPOS IMPACT OF VALUES . some behave tolerant meanwhile others wants to keep ideas from the past. Many citizen consider that gays take parte of the every day live The report names people from health ministery, teacher and citizins stating the the time has come to accept gay/lesbians as part of the society, even if it will cause a change in traditional values and that concerning Safer Sex and AIDS the gay/lesbian society is the most sexually educated part of the Costarican society. The only negative response came from Roman Catholic Church made by the local priest stating that homosexuality is abnormal and not wanted by the Lord and that the Holy Institution of Marriage between Men and Woman is the only acceptable form of living together in human society. ----------------------------- The paper "La Nacion" decided not to continue the reports about sex-tourisme naming our hotel dedicated to sex-tourisme for being gay owned and dedicated to the gay/lesbian travel market! ----------------------------- After reading carefully all articles to find out whom we have to make responsible I come to the following conclusions: 1. The papers "La Nacion" and "La Prensa Libre" cannot be sewed directly because the articles were signed by the reporter itself and therefore representing her opinion (OK, the paper let her publishing the articles, but that/s journalistic freedom, too) 2. The Costarican government is not to blame: - Tourist Ministery claimed that we have all legal permits and we are paying all necessary taxes. - Tourist Ministery said that they do not want Costa Rica to be promoted as sex paradise. They never connected that statement to the hotels Colours, Joluva or Casa Blanca. We do not want sex tourisme either! - Supreme Court decided that gays/lesbians are protected by Costa Rica's constitution and against discriminacion (Deja Vue case) and they are allowed to create places dedicated to their own community! 3. Jacobo Schifter is not to blame: - Jacobo Schifter was against his intention related to the gay/lesbian hotels. When he was interwieved he said clearly that he do not consider Colours, Joluva, Casa Blanca places for prostitution nor sex tourisme! 4. The only person we have to accuse for is the reporter Rosibel Mena V.herself for the following reasons: - Difamation and discrimination for connecting clearly the hotels Joluva Colours and Casa Blanca to sex tourisme and prostitution for the synonymous use of "Prostitution" and "Homosexuality and "Sex Tourisme" - Damage of personal reputation and for putting our lifes under threats from homophobic persons following her prejudgments and synonymous use of "Prostitution" and "Homosexuality" and "Sex Tourisme" - Damage to our business reputation as honorable member of the national / international travel market. - Falsification of facts (like that we never were asked to be in the package which caused the articles, that this package never started to be promoted (statement of Amphitron Holidays) - Putting statements of ministeries, authorities, institutions about sex tourisme together into an article about our places which was never the itention of the same minsteries, authorities, institutions but which happend on purpose by her (which leaves open if all those ministeries, authorities, institutions wants to join our lawsuit?!) - damagin the reputation of Costa Rica, its government, its citizens for mounting the image that Costa Rica allows the violation of the Magna Carta of the Human Rights from the UNO and allows discrimination of minorities!! With our lawyers we will define and elaborate on monday 6/19/95 the accusation based on above named evaluation and based on the resolutions from the supreme court and the statements of the governmental institutiones which are all in our favour! The incredible international support in our fight against discrimination of the gay/lesbian society and the gay/lesbian travel market helped us to get at least the chance to speak freely in the last two articles about what we are and what we and the gay/lesbian supportive society are standing for! Without your help it would have been impossible and whow knows what articles what have followed by her or by other reporters! Please continue to send letters of your support to the named numbers to show all institutions that the gay/lesbian international society exists and that this society defends its rights and that we are not to be named prostitutes and sex tourists only for being gay/lesbian! I will keep you informed about the results of the live Talk-Show on Channel 4 this Monday 6/19/95 at 10:00 PM local time! Life will stay difficult for a while, until homophobics will stop to threat us on the phone, on the streets and by spraying offenses against the walls of our businesses as already happening in case of Colours! Thank you very much in the name of Colours, Joluva, Casa Blanca and the whole Costa Rica gay/lesbian society and all tolerant Costaricans Kindest regards out of the tropics..... Harald Holler Hotel Casa Blanca Manuel Antonio / Costa Rica ********************************** Petition against discrimination of GLBT in Costa Rica is being found on: http://www.cts.com/~drcarr/gay_travel/costa1.html or search in the search programs (like Yahoo) for "gay travel" and look under "The gay lesbian travel web"!!!!! We need your support thank you very much **************************** I got finally the e-mail address of the informatic center of the Costarican government. Instead writing faxes to all governmental institutions please include in the selfsending petitions the following e-mail address: obregon@sol.racsa.co.cr ****************************