IGTA WORLDWIDE REPORTS
EL SALVADOR
(UPDATE) MURDERS OF TRANS GIRLS AND GAYS IN EL SALVADOR
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EMERGENCY RESPONSE NETWORK (extracts)
Volume VII, Number 3, 1998. The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC). Action Alerts
WAVE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST TRANSVESTITES AND GAYS CONTINUES IN EL SALVADOR
The Asociación Salvadoreña de Desarrollo Integral para Minorías Sexuales "Entre Amigos" (Salvadoran Association for Integral Development of Sexual Minorities "Between Friends"), is deeply concerned about the recent murders against transvestites, homosexuals and women carried out with impunity by as yet unknown individuals. Many of those targeted have been sex workers. Entre Amigos reports that since the month of February there have been 9 killings of transvestites and women, and 5 transvestites have been seriously injured in San Salvador and Sonsonate counties. There have also been 6 attacks on various gay gathering places. Activists believe that these actions clearly demonstrate a disturbing level of homophobic violence and discrimination against gays and lesbians and more specifically against transvestites, which many in the larger society reject.
Activists are concerned that this recent wave of violence may be related to those experienced during the civil war where death squads seeking to engage in "social cleansing" targeted gays as part of an "extermination policy" aimed at eliminating "undesirable" members of society. Authorities however are refusing to see any connection between the crimes and have been reluctant to treat these cases with the seriousness required. Activists are demanding that the appropriate authorities fully investigate these crimes and bring the parties responsible to trial.
Letters requesting these murders and attacks be immediately investigated can be sent to:
Dr. Armando Calderón Sol Presidente de la República
Avenida Los Diplomáticos, Barrio San Jacinto, San Salvador, El Salvador C.A. Tel. (503) 271-1555 Fax (503) 271-0950 E-mail: presidente@casapres.gob.sv
Lic. Eduardo Antonio Urquilla
Procurador para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos de El Salvador (PDDH), 5º Calle Poniente y 9º, Avenida Norte No 535, San Salvador, El Salvador C.A. Fax (503) 271-2886
Ingeniero Rodrigo Avila Avilés
Director General de La Policía Nacional Civil (PNC) 6A Calle Oriente y 8A Avenida Sur No. 42, Barrio La Vega San Salvador, El Salvador C.A. Fax. (503) 221-4033
Sr. Hugo César Barrera
Ministro de Seguridad Pública 6º, Calle Oriente No 42, San Salvador, El Salvador C.A. Fax (503) 271-2655
Please send copies of the letters directly to the activists at:
William Vladimir Hernández Valenzuela Asociación Entre Amigos Av. y colonia Santa Victoria, #50 Final del Boulevard de los Héroes San Salvador EL SALVADOR E-mail: entreamigos@salnet.net
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