wfn.org | ELCA Presiding Bishop Responds to Assassinaton in Guatemala

[Brenda Williams <BRENDAW@elca.org>]

Reply-To: ElcaNews <ELCANEWS@ELCASCO.ELCA.ORG>
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

April 30, 1998

ELCA PRESIDING BISHOP RESPONDS TO
ASSASSINATION IN GUATEMALA
98-15-095-BW

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
expresses its profound shock and sorrow at the assassination of Monsignor
Juan Jose Gerardi Conedera, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of
Guatemala," said the Rev. H. George Anderson, ELCA's presiding bishop, in a
statement April 28.  "To our brothers and sisters in Christ in the Roman
Catholic Church and all other churches in Guatemala, we convey our deepest
sadness over the loss of this courageous pastor," Anderson said.
     Gerardi was assassinated on Sunday, April 26 as he entered his home.
He was attacked by an unknown assailant who hit him on the back of the head
and beat him to death with a block of cement.
     Forty-eight hours before his death, Gerardi had presided at the
Metropolitan Cathedral, along with other bishops from the Guatemalan
Episcopal Conference, at the public presentation of a report documenting
tens of thousands of cases of human rights violations that occurred during
the armed conflict in Guatemala.  Gerardi coordinated production of the
report, "The Recuperation of Historic Memory."
     The report expresses the testimony of the Guatemalan people about the
horrors experienced by peasant farmers, businesspeople, Mayan Indians,
church workers, politicians and others.  In the war more than 150,000
people were killed, a million people uprooted from their communities, more
than 400 Indian villages were destroyed, and 50,000 people disappeared.
     Anderson said, "It is essential to recognize that the human rights
report complied by Gerardi, the Interdiocesan staff and others, was issued
just two days earlier.  The public release of this report set the stage for
his assassination."
      The Lutheran bishop praised Gerardi's work "for peace, justice and
truth in Guatemala, most notably as head of the Archdiocesan Office for
Human Rights and coordinator of the Interdiocesan Project The Recuperation
of Historic Memory (REMHI)."  Anderson said, "His tireless legacy requires
that the Guatemalan government, the United States, other nations and
international ecumenical community redouble efforts to prevent further
human rights abuses that threaten to destabilize the consolidation of peace
in that nation."
     "The Evangelical Lutheran church in America will remain vigilant and
in solidarity with the church and people of Guatemala at this time of
national sorrow and fear.  In the spirit of Easter hope -- the victory over
death -- we pray to the God of life that peace with justice and truth may
soon flourish in Guatemala," Anderson said.
     A press statement issued by the Guatemalan Archdiocesan Human Rights
Office stated, "The assassination of Monsignor Gerardi is a ruthless
aggression against the Church of Guatemala -- which for the first time has
lost a bishop in a violent manner -- and against the Catholic people, and
represents a heavy blow to the peace process."
     "The assassination of Monsignor Gerardi is as significant to
Guatemala as Monsignor Romero's murder was to El Salvador.  It is the
highest level murder in the history of the Guatemalan Church.  It is
especially troublesome that it has occurred after the signing of the Peace
Accords and after Guatemala's recent removal from the United Nations list
of worst human rights violators.  All those in solidarity with Guatemalans
should make action on this case a priority in order to denounce this
terrible death and protect other human rights workers," it said.

For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html