ELCA Presiding Bishop Responds to Assassinaton in Guatemala

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