Trial set in death
of KU student
The trial in
Costa Rica of three people accused of killing
Shannon Martin in May 2001 has been scheduled for
the week of Oct. 27, an interpreter for Martin's
mother, Jeanette Stauffer, said late Wednesday.
But attorney Juan
Carlos Arce will likely ask for the trial to be
postponed for a week or two, said Pete Majerle, a
Costa Rican journalist who assists Stauffer as an
interpreter. Arce represents the interests of the
family of Martin, 23, who was stabbed to death
during the early morning hours of May 13, 2001.
The scheduled trial
date may conflict with another trial involving Arce,
who also wants to ensure authorities have adequate
time to analyze new evidence that was uncovered this
summer, Majerle said in a telephone interview from
Costa Rica.
Martin, who was about
to graduate with honors from The University of
Kansas, was slain in Golfito, Costa Rica, where she
had gone to gather specimens for a biology project.
An autopsy showed she was stabbed 15 times. Her body
was found along an airport access road, about 100
feet from her host family's home.
Two men and a woman
-- Rafael Zumbado, 48, Luis Alberto Castro, 38, and
Kattia Cruz, 28 -- have been charged with the
slaying. Authorities say Cruz pawned a custom-made
earring, which had belonged to Martin, the day after
Martin died.
Costa Rican officials
agreed to let Martin's mother participate in legal
proceedings.
Larry Thomas, head of
a Kansas Bureau of Investigation unit that
specializes in long-unsolved homicides, is helping
Stauffer by looking into Martin's slaying. Thomas --
whose children attended Tecumseh's Shawnee Heights
High School with Martin -- spent several weeks in
Costa Rica this summer looking into the case.
Thomas and an
interpreter returned late last week to Costa Rica,
where he is continuing his efforts, Majerle said
Wednesday.
A New “School for Oppressors” in Central America?
The United States and Costa Rica have signed an accord which will establish the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA), a school to be built on Costa Rican soil and commanded by the US State Department. This treaty awaits ratification, while objections from citizens and civil rights organizations continue to grow.
In June 2002 both governments signed an agreement that would establish a school in Costa Rica to "improve the enforcement of criminal justice in Latin America." This school would be oriented to educate "police directors of medium levels, attorneys, judges, and other staff in charge of the enforcement of criminal justice."
The idea of the ILEA is not new. In 1995 a similar academy was inaugurated in Budapest, Hungary, and after that in Bangkok, Thailand, in Botswana and in New Mexico. In 1997 Bill Clinton, along with Central American and Dominican Republic leaders, agreed to establish an ILEA in Latin America.
According to the US Ambassador in Costa Rica, Costa
Rica was chosen because the nation has been a model
“in terms of democratic development, rule of law,
respect for human rights, and the judiciary
process.” Costa Rican people are asking themselves
if the establishment of the ILEA would damage this
reputation and their country’s traditional image
of neutrality and peace.
One of the strongest reasons for Costa Rican public
opposition is the fact that the directors of the
proposed ILEA - positions destined for US officials
- would enjoy “privileges and immunity”
equivalent to those given to diplomats. The accord
clearly states that this will not apply to any
individual with Costa Rican nationality.
Article 11 establishes that: "Costa Rica will
give to the instructors, advisors, consultants, and
other members of the staff of the Academy that are
not Costa Rican citizens, privileges and immunity
equivalent to those given to the members of the
technical and administrative staff of a diplomatic
mission."
Many Costa Rican Deputies believe that Costa Rica is
not able to take on the burden of covering
maintenance fees, operation, and security
installations of the Academy – in total about US
$200,000.
Faced with the delay by the Costa Rican legislature
to approve the ILEA, the political advisor to the US
Embassy told the media that they will analyze the
possibility of establishing an ILEA in other
countries.
Casa Alianza
inaugurates new home in Nicaragua
Casa Alianza
Nicaragua inaugurated a new 94-bed facility in
Managua for the homeless children in one of the
poorest countries in Latin America.
The guests of honor
were Mr. Donald Hubbs, President and CEO of the
Conrad Hilton Foundation; Enrique Bolanos, the
President of Nicaragua; the President of the Supreme
Court of Nicaragua; Sister Tricia Cruise, incoming
President of Covenant House; Sister Mary Rose
McGeady, the outgoing President of Covenant House;
Manuel Ignacio Lacayo, Chairman of the Board of Casa
Alianza Nicaragua; Bruce Harris, the Regional
Director for latin American Programs of Casa Alianza
and Zelmira Garcia, the National Director of Casa
Alianza Nicaragua.
Thanks to the Conrad
N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize that was awarded by
Queen Norr of Jordan to Casa Alianza in 2000, the
US$ 1 million award was invested in the construction
of the 2,300 m2 (20,700 square feet) which houses
not only the residential programs but also the
non-residential programs (street educators, Family
Reintegration, Integrated Health care, etc).
The "Hogar
Conrad N. Hilton" is built on a 6,500 m2
(58,500 square feet) area of land that was donated
to Casa Alianza by the National Assembly of
Nicaragua in an area of the city that was destroyed
after a massive earthquake in 1972. The piece of
land is located in the Dupla Norte Avenue in the
historical area of Managua.
The total cost of the
building was US$ 1.3 million, including the
equipment. Funding from the Inter American
Development Bank and Casa Alianza Switzerland
covered the balance.
The anti seismic
center includes two basketball courts, classrooms,
computer lab, a games activities room, an open
covered patio, a dining area, private areas for the
health team, a medical center, etc. The home, which
was built in 10 months, will provide services for
both boys and girls up to the age of 18.
Construcciones Lacayo
was the construction company and Arquitect Mauricio
Ferrey supervised the effort.
The new home opened
its doors just two weeks ago. Tonight, 87 of the 94
beds are already full. It's good to know that all
those children are sleeping safe tonight, with a
full stomach and the chance to dream…
If you would like to
help with the ongoing costs of food for the children
in the new center, please contact bruce@casa-alianza.org
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