Document #1217848
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
Information on this specific subject could
not be found among the sources currently available to the DIRB in
Ottawa. However, please refer to the attached articles which
mention the 27 August 1993 attack on Joaquin Jimenez Bautista, a
coordinator of the Association of Dispersed Refugees (ARDIGUA), who
had returned to Guatemala from Mexico (Amnesty International
31 Jan. 1994; Centroamerica Jan. 1994, 4; Human Rights
Watch Report 1994, 101; Guatemala Human Rights Update 10
Dec. 1993 a, 1; ibid. 1 Oct. 1993, 1). Bautista was assaulted by
civil defense Patrol (PAC) members, who accused him of committing
atrocities as a guerrilla in the early 1980's (ibid.). He was later
released and returned to Mexico (Amnesty International 31
Jan. 1994). In January 1994, the Guatemalan Public Ministry issued
a warrant for his arrest and seeks his extradition from Mexico
(Centroamerica Jan. 1994, 4; Guatemala Human Rights
Update 10 Dec. 1993 a, 1). The Ministry accused him of a series
of massacres and other human rights abuses, including the
kidnapping, torture and murder of his brother Todos Santos (ibid.).
Bautista responded that "it was these very assassinations that led
him to seek refuge years ago in Mexico." (ibid.).
Several sources report that the Guatemalan
Army continues to link Guatemalan refugees in Mexico with the
guerrillas (Amnesty International 1 Mar. 1993; Central
America Report 11 Feb. 1994, 7-8; Central America
Newspak 13-26 Dec. 1993, 4-5; Centroamerica Feb. 1993,
3; Guatemala Human Rights Update 7 Jan. 1994, 4; ibid. 22
Dec. 1993, 6; ibid. 10 Dec. 1993 b, 4; The Economist 16 Jan.
1993, 44-46; Time 1 Feb. 1993, 15; Reuters 12 Jan.
1993; The Washington Post 21 Jan. 1993). Reports released in
January 1993 stated that the army threatened to arrest returning
refugees sympathetic to the guerrillas (Amnesty
International 1 Mar. 1993; Centroamerica Feb. 1993, 3;
The Economist 16 Jan 1993, 44-46; Time 1 Feb. 1993,
15; Reuters 12 Jan. 1993; The Washington Post 21 Jan.
1993). The current government of President Ramiro de Leon had
promised an amnesty for guerrilla leaders following a cease-fire,
and invited them to return to Guatemala to take part in the
national reconciliation (Reuters 5 Oct. 1993). However, harassment
of refugee delegations by civil patrols and military authorities
are still being reported (Guatemala Human Rights Update 29
Oct. 1993, 1).
This response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
Amnesty International. 31 January
1994. Urgent Action. (AI Index: AMR 34/04/94). London:
Amnesty International.
. 1 March 1993. Urgent Action.
(AI Index: AMR 34/06/93). London: Amnesty International.
Central America Newspak [Austin,
Tx]. 13-26 December 1993. Vol. 8, No. 23. "Returning Refugees
Confront Army."
Central America Report [Guatemala
City]. 11 February 1994. Vol. 21, No. 5. "CPRs Return to Their
Lands."
Centroamerica [Minneapolis, MN].
January 1994. Vol. 9, No. 1. "Guatemala: Arrest Warrant Issued for
Refugee Representative."
. February 1993. Vol. 8, No. 2.
"Guatemala: Refugee Return Begins."
The Economist [London]. 16
January 1993. "Guatemala: Going Home."
Guatemala Human Rights Update
[Albuquerque, NM]. 7 January 1994. "Refugees Plan January 12 Return
to Nenton."
. 22 December 1993. "Defense Minister
Says Repatriates Are Manipulated by URNG."
. 10 December 1993 a. "Arrest Warrant
Issued for Refugees Representative."
. 10 December 1993 b. "Army Blocks
Refugee Return, Implies Guerilla-Refugee Link."
. 29 October 1993. "Refugees Schedule
November Return to Ixcan."
. 1 October 1993. "Attacked Refugee
Testifies Before Human Rights Commission."
Human Rights Watch. 1994. Human
Rights Watch World Report 1994. New York: Human Rights
Watch.
Reuters. 5 October 1993. "Guatemala's De
Leon Unveils Peace Plan." (NEXIS)
. 12 January 1993. Edward Evans.
"Guatemala Refugees Insist on Returning Home." (NEXIS)
Time [Toronto]. 1 February 1993.
"Cautious Homecoming: Guatemalan Refugees Return After More Than a
Decade in Mexican Exile."
The Washington Post. 21 January
1993. "Vanguard of Guatemalan Refugees Return From Exile."
(NEXIS)
Amnesty International. 31 January 1994.
Urgent Action. (AI Index: AMR 34/04/94). London: Amnesty
International.
. 1 March 1993. Urgent Action.
(AI Index: AMR 34/06/93). London: Amnesty International.
Central America Newspak [Austin,
Tx]. 13-26 December 1993. Vol. 8, No. 23. "Returning Refugees
Confront Army," pp. 4-5.
Central America Report [Guatemala
City]. 11 February 1994. Vol. 21, No. 5. "CPRs Return to Their
Lands," pp. 7-8.
Centroamerica [Minneapolis, MN].
January 1994. Vol. 9, No. 1. "Guatemala: Arrest Warrant Issued for
Refugee Representative," p. 4.
. February 1993. Vol. 8, No. 2.
"Guatemala: Refugee Return Begins," p. 3.
The Economist [London]. 16
January 1993. "Guatemala: Going Home," pp. 44-46.
Guatemala Human Rights Update
[Albuquerque, NM]. 7 January 1994. "Refugees Plan January 12 Return
to Nenton," pp. 4-5.
. 22 December 1993. "Defense Minister
Says Repatriates Are Manipulated by URNG," p.6.
. 10 December 1993 a. "Arrest Warrant
Issued for Refugees Representative," p. 1.
. 10 December 1993 b. "Army Blocks
Refugee Return, Implies Guerilla-Refugee Link," p. 4.
. 20 October 1993. "Refugees Schedule
November Return to Ixcan," p. 5.
. 1 October 1993. "Attacked Refugee
Testifies Before Human Rights Commission," p. 1.
Human Rights Watch. 1994. Human
Rights Watch World Report 1994. New York: Human Rights Watch,
pp. 100-03.
Reuters. 5 October 1993. "Guatemala's De
Leon Unveils Peace Plan." (NEXIS)
. 12 January 1993. Edward Evans.
"Guatemala Refugees Insist on Returning Home." (NEXIS)
Time [Toronto]. 1 February 1993.
"Cautious Homecoming: Guatemalan Refugees Return After More Than a
Decade Mexican Exile," p. 15.
The Washington Post. 21 January
1993. "Vanguard of Guatemalan Refugees Return From Exile."
(NEXIS)