Date: Fri, 1 Sep 1995 20:43:02 -0600
From: cblanca@sol.racsa.co.cr (Hotel Casa Blanca de Ml. Ant. S.A.)

COSTA RICA UPDATE
(by Harald Holler)

=================

Successfull Reunion!

The reunion called by the "Comite para la Consolidacion del Movimiento
Costarricense Pro-Respeto de la Identidad Sexual y Enfermos de SIDA" for
the August 28 turned out to be a success!

The reunion which was hold at the g/l Disco Deja Vue in San Jose which was
target of a very violant police riot last year was determined to manifest
the actual situation of g/l/b/t people and people with HIV and AIDS in
Costa Rica to the g/l/b/t society and organizations involved in the defense
of Human Rights.

Although only Amnisty International Costa Rica / CODEHU (Comision de
Derechos Humanos / Costa Rica's Human Rights Commission) and International
Peace Court send representitives the reunion could count on about 50 people
not belonging to any organizations.

Beside, that some of the contacted groups and organizations are no longer
existent, the following very important ones did not send any
representative:

CODEHUCA - Comision Derechos Humanos de Centro America (Central American
Human Rights Commisson)
Defensoria de Habitantes - Costa Rica's office for the defense of citizens
ILPES - Instituto Latinoamericano para Prevencion y Educacion en Salud
(Latin American Institute for Prevention and Education in Health)

After reading our committee's manifest an open discussion was started to
see what solutions could be found to answer the need of organizations to
fight against discrimination and to fight for people with HIV and AIDS.

After exposing possible solutions the audience voted democratically for the
following procedure:

1. The political movement must be separated officialy from the movement for
AIDS/HIV issue. We know that both issues are very much connected, but in
order to get maximum support from perhaps even Government and/or Church to
help HIV-Positives and people with AIDS or dying on AIDS (we have no time
to waste waiting for support) the political side must be officially
separated.

2. For that two groups were formed on 8/28/95, one to determine the futures
political movement, the other to determine the futures AIDS-Organization.

3. In order to listen carefully to everybodies suggestions about the form,
issues and regulations of every organization we all decided to work all
suggestions through during the following 2 or 3 weeks before founding
legally the new organizations (we will also proof if we can use existing
legally inscribed associations as "Triungulo Rosa"(political) or "Lucha
contra Sida"(AIDS) instead of founding new ones!)

4. Every group will make it's workshops on separate days so that people
interested can join both groups.

5. Both groups and futures organizations will meet regularly to maintain
the closest contact possible!

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COSTA RICA's POLICEMEN WILL BE TRAINED IN TOLERANCE

CODEHU, Defensoria de Habitantes and the Government of Costa Rica have
decided to start a training program to educate policemen in tolerance and
respect, exspecially for respecting the human rights of transvesties, gays
and lesbians.

This program is a direct result of lawsuits being filed from transvesties
for being abused and mistreated by policemen. The international protest for
the last discrimination case (g/l hotels) helped to put pressure to start
that program!

===============================

TRIUNGULO ROSA got "green light"

After a long struggle and protests by IGLHRC and gays/lesbians all over the
world Costa Rica might have it's first legally inscribed gay/lesbian
association very soon!
After changing the name from "Abraxas" to "Triungulo Rosa" (it must be a
Spanish name!) the National Register decided after receiving a wave of
international protest to accept the legal insription of "Triungulo Rosa".
The inscription will be published in Costa Rica's Gazette, which means that
for 14 days people and organizations can legally protest against the
inscription.
If no one protests the inscription than is legal!  But "Triungulo Rosa" do
expect protests which can prolong the fight for the legal inscripcition!

===============================

GAY/LESBIAN ART FESTIVAL IN 1996 ??????????

>From an unofficial source from CODEHU was mentioned that it might be
possible that in 1996, CODEHU together with the Government will admit and
support a gay/lesbian art festival including film festivals etc.

Until now it's just a rumour which has still to be verified!

But wouldn't it be wonderful?!?!?!?!?!


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To contact the: "Comite para la Consolidacion del Movimiento Costarricense
                 Pro Respeto de la Identidad Sexual y Enfermos de SIDA"
please mail:     cblanca@sol.racsa.co.cr
or phone/fax:    (+506) 777-0253
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