On December 16th, following months of threatening phone calls, pranks, and minor acts of vandalism, the members of Asociacion Triangulo Rosa discovered that all the windows in their offices had been broken by vandals. This attack is only the latest attempt to intimidate members of Triangulo Rosa, a gay and lesbian organization in Costa Rica, and force the closure of their offices in the town of Alajuela. In the weeks leading to the most recent attack, vandals wrote obscenities on the walls and doors of the Triangulo Rosa offices. The group also received threatening phone calls demanding the group leave Alajuela.

Triangulo Rosa attempted to file a complaint with the local police authorities who refused to accept it, claiming the incident was not within their jurisdiction. The complaint was then presented to the Organismo de Investigacion Judicial (Institution for Judicial Investigation). Triangulo Rosa also approached the Defensoria de los Habitantes de la Republic (Defender of the Inhabitants of the Republic), which serves as an ombudsman on human rights cases, immediately following the attack requesting increased police protection and an immediate investigation. None of the agencies have responded.

Asociacion Triangulo Rosa has asked that international activists write letters stressing the following points:

1. Violence against minorities is deplorable and it is the responsibility of the Costa Rican government to investigate attacks against any and all minority groups including sexual minorities to ensure that perpetrators of these attacks are prosecuted for their crimes.
2. In situations where individuals or groups believe they may be in danger, it is the government's duty to provide adequate police protection.
3. The government of a country with Costa Rica's otherwise impressive human rights records needs to recognize that violations of the rights of sexual minorities are indeed human rights violations.

Please send letters to:

Rodrigo Carazo
Defensoria de Los Habitantes

Apartado 1240-1007
Centro Colon
COSTA RICA
Fax : 506-296-2512

Please send copies of your letters to IGLHRC and to Asociacion Triangulo Rosa so that they may also use them when appropriate.

Asociacion Triangulo Rosa
Att: Francisco Madrigal

Apartado 1619-4950
Alajuela
COSTA RICA
E-mail: rastern@sol.racsa.co.cr