[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 70 (Tuesday, May 1, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H4242-H4246]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXPRESSING SYMPATHY TO FAMILIES OF WOMEN AND GIRLS MURDERED IN
GUATEMALA
Mr. SIRES. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 100) expressing the sympathy of the House of
Representatives to the families of women and girls murdered in
Guatemala and encouraging the Government of Guatemala to bring an end
to these crimes.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 100
Whereas Guatemalan women were among the victims during the
36-year Guatemalan internal armed conflict which ended with
the signing of the 1996 Peace Accords and ushered in the
process of reconciliation;
Whereas since 2001, more than 2,000 women and girls have
been murdered in Guatemala often preceded by abduction,
sexual assault, or brutal mutilation;
Whereas from 2001 to 2006, the rate at which women and
girls have been murdered in Guatemala has increased sharply,
at a higher rate than the murder rate of men in Guatemala
during the same period;
Whereas the number of murders of Guatemalan women and girls
has increased significantly from 303 in 2001 to more than 500
in 2006;
Whereas, according to reports from Guatemalan officials,
most of the victims are women ranging in age from 18 to 30
and many were abducted in broad daylight in well-populated
areas;
[[Page H4243]]
Whereas the manner and rate of murders of Guatemalan women
and girls suggests an increase in gender based killings, an
extreme form of violence against women that can include
torture, mutilation, and sexual violence;
Whereas, according to data from Guatemala's Public
Prosecutors Office, few arrests and fewer convictions have
taken place, leading to accusations that police, prosecutors,
forensics experts, and other state justice officials have not
brought the perpetrators to justice;
Whereas inadequate financial, human, and technical
resources, as well as a lack of forensic and technical
expertise, has complicated the arrest and prosecution of
suspects;
Whereas the Guatemalan Human Rights Ombudsman reports that
on ten separate occasions police officers have been
implicated in the murder of Guatemalan women and girls and
recommends that such officers and other officials be held
accountable for their acts;
Whereas the Guatemalan Special Prosecutor for Crimes
Against Women, in her statements regarding the Guatemalan
murder cases, reported that her office has reviewed
approximately 800 reports of domestic violence per month,
with some of those cases ending in murder;
Whereas the Government of Guatemala has undertaken efforts
to prevent violence against women, as evidenced by its
ratification of the United Nations Convention Against Torture
and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment, the United Nations Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Convention
of Belem do Para, and other international human rights
treaties, and the enactment of laws and the creation of state
institutions to promote and protect the rights of women;
Whereas, in June 2006, the Government of Guatemala
successfully abolished the ``Rape Law'' which had absolved
perpetrators of criminal responsibility for rape and certain
other crimes of violence upon the perpetrator's marriage with
the victim;
Whereas the Government of Guatemala has created special
police and prosecutorial units to address the brutal murders
of Guatemalan women and girls;
Whereas Guatemalan legislators from various parties have
joined lawmakers from Mexico and Spain to form the
Interparliamentary Network against ``Femicide'';
Whereas the Government of Guatemala and the United Nations
recently signed an agreement to establish the International
Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), which has a
mandate to investigate and promote prosecution of illegal
security groups and clandestine security organizations that
function with impunity and are suspected of attacking human
rights defenders, and other crimes that have undermined
overall security in Guatemala;
Whereas murders of Guatemalan women and girls have brought
pain to the families and friends of the victims as they
struggle to cope with the loss of their loved ones and the
fact that the perpetrators of these heinous acts remain
unknown to the proper authorities; and
Whereas continuing impunity for the crime of murder is a
threat to the rule of law, democracy, and stability in
Guatemala: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) expresses its sincerest condolences and deepest
sympathy to the families of women and girls murdered in
Guatemala;
(2) expresses the solidarity of the people of the United
States with the people of Guatemala in the face of these
tragic and senseless acts;
(3) condemns the ongoing abductions and murders of women
and girls in Guatemala which have been occurring with
increasing brutality and frequency;
(4) recognizes the courageous struggle of the victims'
families in seeking justice for the victims;
(5) urges the Government of Guatemala to recognize domestic
violence and sexual harassment as criminal acts;
(6) encourages the Government of Guatemala to act with due
diligence in order to investigate promptly the killings of
women and girls, prosecute those responsible, and eliminate
the tolerance of violence against women;
(7) supports efforts to identify perpetrators and unknown
victims through forensic analysis, including DNA testing,
such as the National Institute for Forensic Science in
Guatemala (INACIF) and encourages such efforts to be
conducted by independent, impartial experts;
(8) urges the President and Secretary of State to continue
to express support for the efforts of the victims' families
and loved ones to seek justice for the victims, to express
concern relating to the continued harassment of these
families and the human rights defenders with whom they work,
and to express concern with respect to impediments in the
ability of the families to receive prompt and accurate
information in their cases;
(9) encourages the Secretary of State to urge the
Government of Guatemala to honor and dignify the victims of
the brutal murders and to continue to include in the
Department of State's annual Country Reports on Human Rights
Practices all instances of improper investigatory methods,
threats against human rights activists, and the use of
torture with respect to cases involving the murder and
abduction of women and girls in Guatemala;
(10) encourages the Secretary of State to urge the
Government of Guatemala to hold accountable those law
enforcement and judicial officials whose failure to
investigate and prosecute the murders adequately, whether
through negligence, omission, or abuse, has led to impunity
for these crimes;
(11) encourages the Secretary of State to support and urge
the Government of Guatemala to take measures to ensure that
the special Guatemalan police and prosecutorial units have an
adequate number of appropriately trained personnel with
sufficient resources to conduct thorough and proper
investigations and prosecutions that reflect the gravity and
magnitude of this national security crisis;
(12) recommends that the United States Ambassador to
Guatemala continue to meet with the families of the victims,
women's rights organizations, and Guatemalan officials
responsible for investigating these crimes and preventing
such future crimes; and
(13) recommends that the Secretary of State develop a
comprehensive plan to address and combat the growing problem
of violence against women in Latin America.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Sires) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
General Leave
Mr. SIRES. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. SIRES. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. I want to
thank our colleague, Congresswoman Hilda Solis, the sponsor of this
resolution, as well as original cosponsors, the Chair and the ranking
member of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, Eliot Engel and Dan
Burton, for bringing this issue to us.
This important resolution raises awareness of the increasing number
of women and girls who have been brutally murdered in Guatemala. Since
2001, more than 2,000 women and girls have been killed in Guatemala,
and the murder rate of women has increased sharply, more so than the
rate for men.
Many of these murders are preceded by mutilation or sexual assault of
the victims, and almost none of these cases are properly investigated
or prosecuted. The fact that most of the murders go unpunished has
contributed to the decline of overall security in Guatemala and
demonstrates the dangerous situation for women and girls throughout the
country.
While Guatemala has made some strides to improve the treatment of
women under the law, there are still major obstacles for the country to
overcome. For instance, domestic violence and sexual harassment are not
considered crimes in Guatemala. This resolution condemns the murders,
expresses sympathy and support for the struggle of victims' families
for justice and urges that the murders be promptly investigated and
prosecuted.
I hope that our two countries can work together to end the brutal
murders of women and girls in Guatemala and to improve the security for
all Guatemalans. I urge all my colleagues to support H. Res. 100.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
might consume.
First of all, I want to congratulate Representative Solis for
introducing this bill. She and I have worked together on it, and I
really appreciate her hard work. She is really concerned about the
rights of women around the world and not just Guatemala. I appreciate
that.
Let me start out by saying today we have heard a great deal about
human rights violation, slavery and other issues. The problem is not
confined just to one part of the world. In China today, as
Representative Smith of New Jersey has pointed out many times, there
are as many as 10 million people suffering in communist gulags, and
other parts of the world. In the Sudan,
[[Page H4244]]
we see the oppression and the horrible atrocities that are taking place
and the mistreatment of not only men and women but children as well.
It's just a horrible thing that we see these kinds of atrocities taking
place around the world.
I really appreciate my colleagues on both sides of the aisle working
so hard to focus attention on what's going on in these various areas to
try to bring them to a halt. For humanity's sake, we can do no less.
I, however, today, rise in support of H. Res. 100, which recognizes
and honors the women and girls who have been murdered in Guatemala.
This bill brings to light the problem women in the democratic nation of
Guatemala face in their daily struggle for survival. Given the current
environment in Guatemala, women are not safe to walk along the streets
day or night. A simple walk from home or school or work to mean
abduction, mutilation or death for a Guatemalan woman or girl. Given
the lack of legislative protection and judicial investigation, women
are often subjected to domestic abuse, often leading to death within
the home as well.
Given that there is nowhere for these victims or their families to
turn, over 2,000, as has been said to my colleague, over 2,000
Guatemalan women and girls have suffered horrendous deaths in the past
5 years. Tremendous efforts have been taken by some Guatemalan
legislators and human rights workers and families of the victims. They
come here to Washington to try to end such atrocities by focusing
attention on them.
There has been a continuous rise, however, in the brutal female
deaths. There can be no rest of the weary as long as these things go
on. We must come together to assist their effort and urge the
government of Guatemala to take quick deliberative action to
investigate the killings and prosecute those responsible and eliminate
the tolerance, the tolerance of violence against women.
The women in Guatemala deserve to experience peace and prosperity
within their nation and not constant fear of sexual assault and deadly
mutilation, in just walking to and from work, as I said before.
I ask my colleagues to see the urgency of this bill, and to support
it. Once again, Representative Solis, thanks for your hard work.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SIRES. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlelady from
California (Ms. Solis).
Ms. SOLIS. I would like to thank the gentleman and also take this
time to acknowledge the support of Chairman Lantos, Subcommittee
Chairman Engel, Subcommittee Ranking Member Burton, who is here, and
Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who are the original cosponsors of House
Resolution 100, for their tireless work on this issue. I urge all my
colleagues to support this bipartisan resolution.
Madam Speaker, I know that we have heard much this afternoon about
this predicament that exists in Guatemala. It has been going on for
many, many years. This resolution that I introduced earlier this year
would acknowledge the murders of 2,500 or more young women and girls
that have been mutilated, attacked, assaulted and killed in Guatemala.
The murder rate for women and young women continues to rise there.
It's as though there's a blind eye on the part of the government in
Guatemala, as well as ours. That is why I brought this measure to the
floor here. I think it is important that when a crime against a woman
is done in any part the world, it's a crime against all of us and
humanity.
Therefore, I want to acknowledge the support of our colleagues, and
especially for the hard work of the advocates, the groups that actually
help to bring this issue before the Congress. They could have, at any
time in the past 10 years, come and spoken to any Member of Congress
about the issue. But the time wasn't right. Perhaps the politics, the
environment, just wasn't fit for that. But now that we have seen
resolutions come out of this House, where we worked on a bipartisan
basis to deal with the issues of the women of Ciudad Juarez, and now we
bring forward this issue.
Now we have more support on both sides of the aisle to say that the
violence has to stop. There must not be impunity. Everyone should be
held accountable. There needs to be transparency in government on the
part of the Guatemalan Government, and on the part of our government as
well, provide technical support, and also help to seek some resolution
to the violence against these women that continues to go on.
I want to thank those groups that especially have worked hard with us
to combat this particular crime. I would like to mention their names,
Amnesty International, the Washington Office on Latin America, the
Guatemala Human Rights Commission, Human Rights First, and, also, a
group from my home area, CARECEN, the Central American Resource Center
advocacy group based in Los Angeles.
They are strong supporters of House Resolution 100. Did you know, in
fact, in the City of Los Angeles, this has one of the highest
concentrations of Guatemalans. So many of them know distinctly how
important this resolution is. They thank the Congress for bringing up
this measure.
Madam Speaker, I include for the Record letters from CARECEN and 20
other advocacy groups that are also in support of this resolution.
Dear Congressmember: we write to urge your support for H.
Res. 100, which expresses sympathy to the families of women
and girls murdered in Guatemala and encourages the Government
of Guatemala to bring an end to these crimes.
Historically, the U.S. has offered asylum to those fleeing
persecution based on race, religion, political opinion,
national origin or membership in a particular social group.
Only in the past decade have women and girls fleeing gender-
based persecution (such as domestic violence, female genital
cutting, human trafficking, ``honor'' killings, etc.) been
recognized as refugees, but this remains an issue that is
still widely debated.
There is no doubt that asylum is a life-saving form of
protection, and recognition of gender-based claims is an
important statement by the U.S. that it takes women's rights
seriously. But asylum cannot be a solution to the underlying
human rights problem. By definition, asylum seekers are
forced to flee their home countries in order to save their
lives and to escape persecution, but they leave behind many
others who face the very same violations of their fundamental
human rights--and who have no protection at all. Therefore,
if we truly seek to address the problem at its source, we
must examine the ``root causes'' of the violence and
persecution that are forcing asylum seekers to flee in the
first place. The story of Rodi Alvarado and Guatemala's
femicides serve as a tragic case in point.
For more than a decade, Rodi Alvarado was brutalized by her
husband, a former soldier in the Guatemalan military, and her
repeated and desperate pleas for help from the police and
courts were ignored. Ultimately, she had no other option but
to flee for her life. Rodi's case--known as Matter of R.A.--
has been pending for almost ten years, and although two
successive Attorneys General--Janet Reno and John Ashcroft--
``certified'' the case to themselves, neither of them issued
a definitive decision. In 2001, the immigration agency
proposed regulations clarifying that domestic violence and
other related harms could form the basis of an asylum claim.
However, those regulations have yet to be finalized, and the
lives of women like Rodi Alvarado, who have sought asylum in
the U.S., continue to hang in the balance.
We ask you to strongly urge Attorney General Gonzales and
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff to issue
regulations which would clearly recognize that women in
circumstances such as Rodi Alvarado qualify for protection as
refugees. This would send a clear message that women and
girls fleeing gender-persecution will find a safe haven in
the U.S.
Advancing protective U.S. asylum law is critical, but
equally important is addressing the root causes that force
women to flee their home countries. In Rodi Alvarado's case,
these causes are an epidemic of violence against
Guatemalan women; more than 3,000 women and girls have
been murdered since 2000. These gender-motivated killings
or ``femicides'' are notable both for their brutality and
for the virtual impunity of those responsible. The most
recent available statistics reveal the abysmal failure of
the Guatemalan government to effectively investigate,
prosecute, and punish those who carry out these horrific
crimes. Only 17 murders of women--of the thousands that
have been committed--have been prosecuted.
Guatemala's femicides demonstrate the lack of any
meaningful protection for women like Rodi Alvarado, who are
left with no other choice than to flee for their lives.
Unless and until the Guatemalan government reforms its
justice system such that there is an end to impunity that
exists for those who commit this violence, hundreds more
women will lose their lives, while others will be forced to
flee in order to save them.
As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, we ask
you to play a critical role in resolving the root causes of
gender-
[[Page H4245]]
based violence and persecution in Guatemala by co-sponsoring
H. Res. 100.
Sincerely,
The Center for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS); Central
American Resource Center (CARECEN); Guatemala Human
Rights Commission; Foundation for Human Rights in
Guatemala; Network in Solidarity with the People of
Guatemala; Movement of Guatemalan Immigrants in the
United States (MIGUA); National Coalition of Guatemalan
Immigrants (CONGUATE); Guatemala Solidarity Committee
of Boston; National Alliance of Latin American and
Caribbean Communities (NALACC); United Latinos in
Massachusetts (LUMA);
Salvadoran American Nacional Network (SANN); Harvard
Immigration and Refugee Clinic; University of Texas
School of Law Immigration Clinic; Legal Momentum;
STITCH; Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights; Florida
Immigrant Advocacy Center, Inc.; Albuquerque Center for
Peace and Justice; El CENTRO de Igualdad y Derechos;
Casa de Esperanza; Asylum Access; and American Friends
Service Committee Immigrant Rights Program.
While I close, I would like to say that while the violence may
continue momentarily, I think we have caught the attention of
policymakers, not just in Guatemala, but in other parts of the
hemisphere, because not only are we looking at setting a standard here,
but we are letting people know that we are on watch, and that America
will take their place, as we always have, in providing leadership.
I thank our chairperson for this committee. I thank the gentleman. I
thank our ranking member on the other side of the aisle and all of
those groups that helped to support this resolution.
Mr. SIRES. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from
California (Ms. Woolsey), a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Ms. WOOLSEY. I would like to thank my colleague from California (Ms.
Solis) for introducing this bill. I would like to thank Chairman Lantos
for working to bring it to the floor as quickly as he did.
Madam Speaker, one of the top priorities of this 110th Congress has
been to protect women's rights and to prevent violence against them.
That is why I am particularly proud to be a cosponsor of this
resolution, H. Res. 100, a resolution that brings the same kind of
commitment to the women and girls of Guatemala. The supporters of H.
Res. 100 are speaking loudly against the systematic abuse and sexual
violence that the women and girls of Guatemala face.
Since the year 2001, 2,000 women and girls have been murdered. We are
saying that it's beyond time for the Guatemalan government to stand up
against these inexcusable and inhumane acts. They are acts of violence,
and they must punish the offenders. We want them to put the resources
necessary toward providing for investigations and for DNA testing.
Today, with this resolution, this Congress stands up and offers more
than our condolences. We offer our support. We stand with the women and
the girls of Guatemala, and we pledge to bring safety and justice to
them. We want their government to work with us to that end.
Mr. SIRES. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New
Jersey's 10th Congressional District, chairman of the Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, my good friend Don Payne.
{time} 1600
Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, let me thank the prime sponsor, Ms. Solis,
for introducing this very important House Resolution 100, expressing
the sympathy of the House of Representatives to the families of women
and girls murdered in Guatemala, and encouraging the Government of
Guatemala to bring an end to these crimes.
Let me commend Ms. Solis from California, not only for the women in
Guatemala but she has actually expressed concerns for the deaths of
women in Mexico. We have had discussions with Ms. Solis about the
murders on the border of the United States and Mexico where women have
been killed and there are a tremendous number of unsolved crimes there,
and she visited that community in Mexico to express our concern for the
women of that region and that country. So this is simply an extension
of the work that she has done so well on behalf of women not only here
in this country but throughout the world.
As we know, since 2001 more than 2,000 women and girls have been
murdered in Guatemala, often preceded by abductions, sexual assault, or
brutal mutilation. The murder rate has continued to increase and has
grown from 2001 where there were 303 reported to more than 500 in 2006.
And so we have asked the Government of Guatemala and actually the
United Nations, and they recently signed an agreement to establish the
International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala, which has a
mandate to investigate and promote prosecution of illegal security
groups and clandestine security organizations that function with
impunity and are suspected of attacking human rights defenders and
other crimes that have undermined the overall security in Guatemala.
So when we look to Guatemala and we express our sincerest condolences
to the families of these women and girls, we must look at the condition
of women throughout the world, even here in the United States. At a
recent hearing last week of the Education and Labor Committee, we find
that women make 82 cents on the dollar compared to what men make. And
the sad part is that, as women progress in their years of work, the gap
between men and women actually expands because they start at a lower
base. Men's salaries go up, women's salaries remain stagnant, and the
gap becomes even greater.
So as we remember the women of Guatemala, let's remember that there
is still gender bias throughout the world.
Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from
California's Ninth District, a member of the Committee on
Appropriations, Barbara Lee.
Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding and
for your leadership, and just say today that I fully support and am a
cosponsor of this resolution, and want to thank Congresswoman Solis for
staying on point and continuing to focus and make sure that this House
of Representatives understands the type of torture and violence that is
taking place with regard to Guatemalan women.
As the resolution says, the murders of Guatemalan women and girls
have increased significantly, from 303 to more than 500 in 2006. Since
2001, unfortunately, more than 2,500 women and girls have been killed.
So it is up to us, I believe, to make sure that we as a neighbor to
Guatemala, as people who care about women and girls, that we urge the
Guatemalan Government to do some of the things that have been put forth
in this resolution.
First, of course, we extend our sincere condolences and deepest
sympathies to the families of the women and the girls who have been
murdered in Guatemala. But also we have to do more than just extend our
sympathy and express solidarity. We have to do what this resolution
says. Let me just mention a couple of those things that we need to do.
We need to urge the Government of Guatemala to recognize domestic
violence and sexual harassment as criminal acts. Nothing less than that
will do. We need to make sure that our Secretary of State works with
the Government of Guatemala to hold those accountable for their crimes.
We need to make sure that the ambassador continues to meet with the
families and the victims of the women and girls. We also need to make
sure, and this resolution calls upon our Secretary of State, to develop
a comprehensive plan to address and combat the growing problem of
violence against women in Latin America.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Sires, because this is such an important
effort for women and girls, not only in Guatemala and Latin America,
but for women and girls throughout the world.
Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of
H. Res. 100, to express sympathy to the families of women and girls
murdered in Guatemala. The senseless atrocities being committed in
Guatemala are a grim reminder of the injustices that plague women and
girls throughout the world. It is imperative that we speak out as a
nation against these malicious acts, which demonstrate an utter lack of
respect for human life.
These irrational acts of violence targeted against women are not just
a looming problem in Guatemala. Femicide has afflicted other countries
in the world, but our attention turns to Guatemala as the most recent
and serious case of negligence by government officials. According to
reports, 40 percent of killings were never investigated or the
investigations
[[Page H4246]]
were simply shelved. This pattern of impunity by the Guatemalan
Government cultivates and perpetuates the cycle of violence.
It has taken pressure from the international community to highlight
this gross violation of human rights and force the Guatemalan
Government to take steps towards alleviating these problems. Guatemalan
officials have recently created a special police commission and
prosecutorial unit to solely focus on femicide crimes.
Although these are important and necessary steps, more must be done
to address these issues.
It is necessary for this House to focus our attention to Guatemala's
passive attitude. This is why I urge my colleagues to join me in voting
``yes'' on H. Res. 100.
Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Lynch). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Sires) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 100.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________