From: Sabina Astete Subject: Repression Against Lesbians and Gay Men in Latin America Date: 17 May 1996 13:34:40 GMT Written 12:23 PM Apr 26, 1996 by icchrla@web.apc.org Inter-Church Committee on Human Rights in Latin America _______________________________________________________ RELEASE OF NEW ICCHRLA REPORT Church coalition report breaks new ground, denounces systematic violence against gays and lesbians in Latin America as a fundamental human rights issue April 26, 1996 (Toronto) In a groundbreaking report released today, a Canadian social justice coalition of more than 20 Christian churches and religious orders has broken silence about an urgent human rights issue which is largely ignored by the human rights community. The report by the Inter-Church Committee on Human Rights in Latin America (ICCHRLA) is entitled Violence Unveiled: Repression Against Lesbians and Gay Men in Latin America and based on research conducted with a wide range of organizations and individuals in the region. In countries such as Mexico, Colombia and Argentina, states the report, sexual minorities have been faced with arbitrary arrest, torture and assassination. Paramilitary groups or death squads in Brazil have been responsible for the death of more than 1,200 gay men and lesbians since 1982. In Nicaragua, Chile and Ecuador, homosexual activity is a crime punishable by lengthy prison sentences. Throughout the region, vaguely worded laws or police regulations are frequently used to arbitrarily detain lesbians and gay men and subject them to various forms of abuses, including extortion. "These abuses are systematic, they take place in a context of deep- seated, violent homophobia and they must be recognized as a fundamental human rights issue," states Bill Fairbairn, ICCHRLA South America Programme Coordinator and author of the report. "One of the worst cases documented in the report is that of a 19-year old Mexican man who was beaten to death in the early hours of June 27, 1995 by a group of 15 men wielding iron bars, clubs and broken bottles," comments Fairbairn. "There was no outcry in the press, no official interest in clarifying the crime and this is all too typical of a situation in which most of the abuses committed against lesbians and gay men are shrouded in a blanket of silence and impunity," continues Fairbairn. "Many more violations are taking place than are actually reported to human rights groups because the victims are simply too frightened to come forward and denounce them." The ICCHRLA report -- which is motivated by a profound faith commitment to the intrinsic value of all human life and to God's justice for all who are oppressed, marginalized and excluded -- concludes by articulating the hope that the wall of silence around the violent repression of lesbians and gay men in the Americas be replaced by a spirit of reflection, dialogue and commitment to a more inclusive understanding and defence of human rights. Amongst other recommendations, ICCHRLA calls on the governments of Latin America to dismantle paramilitary groups which have targeted sexual minorities, as well as to remove from active duty and duly sanction police and military officials guilty of abuses against lesbians and gay men. As well, ICCHRLA urges human rights groups to establish contact with organizations of lesbians and gay men, where these exist, and together seek ways to develop "safe spaces" where victims of human rights abuses can come forward in trust to present their complaints. ICCHRLA also urges both church and secular organizations to review their policies regarding sexual minorities to ensure they are congruent with international human rights standards and not advertently or inadvertently promoting intolerance and violence against lesbians and gay men. To order this valuable resource please send a cheque or money order to: ICCHRLA, 129 St. Clair Ave W., Toronto, ON M4V 1N5. Prices are indicated below Orders in Canada: $10/report Orders in U.S: $12/report Orders outside of Canada/U.S.: $14/report For more information on other reports, subscriptions to ALERTA (our bimonthly bulletin), or information on ICCHRLA write to the address above or contact us @ Tel: (416) 921-0801 Fax. (416) 921-3843 email: icchrla@web.apc.org BACKGROUND ON ICCHRLA: The Inter-Church Committee on Human Rights in Latin America (ICCHRLA) is an ecumenical social justice coalition representing more than 20 different Canadian churches and religious communities. ICCHRLA was founded in 1973 in response to calls from partners in Chile for Canadian solidarity efforts following General Pinochet's bloody military coup. Since then, ICCHRLA has worked to monitor human rights concerns throughout Mexico, Central and South America, sending regular fact-finding delegations to the region, and engaging in advocacy work to press the Canadian government, Canadian corporations and multilateral bodies such as the UN and the OAS for policies and practices that promote respect for the broad spectrum of human rights.