Look in the mirror, Portugal!
Indymedia Portugal, Feb. 26, 2006
[ V 6-17-06]
Murdered trans woman was "repeatedly beaten, sodomized with sticks,
burned, kicked, stabbed and stoned by a group of 14 teenagers
from St. José Center" a strict Catholic school for boys.
News about the growing PROTEST over these events.
See also the TGEU (European TransGender Network) Website.
Important Updates:
5-17-06: Alert from Pink Panthers of Portugal regarding scandalous judgment of courts
5-24-06: "Diagonal" (Madrid): Portugal // El Asesinato de Una Transexual Moviliza a Colectivos LGTB.
Killers go free - Protests to be made at Portuguese Embassies on June 8, 2006.
Link to a video about Gisberta's murder made
for the June 8 protest by the Groupe Activiste Trans' from Paris
6-09-06: PFC News: "PEDRO ABRUNHOSA DEDICATES A
BALLAD TO GISBERTA"
Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2006
From: Curtis Hinkle
Subject: Look in the mirror, Portugal
Look in the mirror, Portugal
Translated from the Portuguese by
Curtis E.
Hinkle, OII
Source - Indymedia Portugal
Gisberta, the Brazilian
homeless woman murdered in Field 24 of the city of Porto, and thrown into a ditch
inside of a small abandoned garage which had been her shelter for many
months, had been living in Portugal for more than 20 years.
According to people who knew her, she had not been able to have genital
surgery because of the enormous legal difficulties that go along with it
and also because of complications resulting from her physical
condition. She s! uffered from serious circulatory problems. “Gis” was
not a cross-dresser, she was a transsexual. She was a person that was
never able to fit in in Portugal; a lonely, sensitive person who fell
into a deep depression after the death of the two dogs which were her
family and company and turning to drugs and then prostitution to
survive.
She suffered a horrible end after being tormented for several days. She
was repeatedly beaten, sodomized with sticks, burned, kicked, stabbed
and stoned by a group of 14 teenagers from St. José Center, 13 of which
were under the age of 16; who took advantage of her physical condition
which had been extremely debilitated by drugs, illness, cold and the
misery and loneliness of her life, and when they felt she was dead, they
threw her in a ditch in a garage.
At the vigil for Gisberta, attended by about 50 people, many of which
were representatives of the LGBT community, R! ute, another transsexual
who knew her and had worked with her in better times doing cabaret
shows, moved many to tears as she spoke out in revulsion against this
crime, a manifestation of homophobia and intolerance which is increasing
in our society.
She spoke of the immense suffering which is the daily lot of
transsexuals and their families, hounded by discrimination in public, by
neighbors and excluded from almost all job openings, often trapped into
prostitution, and hooked on drugs which are abundant in the milieu where
they are banished to, drugs which lessen the psychological pain from the
stigma and exclusion; and pressured into repeated operations and
plastic surgery in pursuit of the image that is required socially to
live as the gender they know they are and which they need to be
recognized and accepted as.
“We are normal people, with the same problems and daily needs that
everyone has, ther! e is no reason for us to feel guilty and we are
hurting no one. Why can we not be accepted?
It should be pointed out that some of the transsexuals present defended
the young people involved, blaming it on the violent way of life they
live and how they are raised and treated by the priests of the St. José
Center as well as their own feelings of exclusion and the need to be
part of a group and what they are forced to do to belong.
Unfortunately in Portugal, this catholic country brimming with words and
talk which would make one think that the nation is kind and that hearts
of Jesus fill the people with compassion, there appears to be less
capacity to reflect about ourselves before pointing the finger and to
realize that it might just be the result of our own upbringing of
prejudice and a mirror of our own intolerance and indifference.
For more information, see:
http://pt.indymedia.org/ler.php?numero=71608&cidade=1
Vê-te ao espelho, Portugal
Indymedia Portugal
Feb. 26, 2006:
Gisberta, a sem-abrigo
brasileira assassinada no Campo 24 de Agosto no Porto, e atirada ao
fosso interior do pequeno silo-auto semi abandonado que há meses lhe
servia de teto, vivia em Portugal há mais de vinte anos.
Segundo pessoas que a conheciam, não tendo chegado nunca a operar-se
genitalmente devido às enormes dificuldades legais que é preciso
transpor e às peculiariedades da sua condição física, já que de há muito
sofria problemas graves com o sistema circulatório, “Gis” não era um
travesti mas uma transsexual. Era uma pessoa que nunca chegou a integrar-se
em portugal, solitária e sensível, caída em depressão profunda depois da
morte dos dois cães que lhe serviam de família e companhia e que se
afundara no consumo de estupefacientes, valendo-se da prostituição para
sobreviver.
Sofreu um fim horroroso, depois de um calvário que durou vários dias em
que foi renovadamente espancada e sodomizada com paus, queimada,
pontapeada, esfaqueada e apedrejada por um grupo de 14 jovens da oficina
de S. José, 13 menores de 16 anos; que se aproveitaram da sua condição
física e psíquica extremamente debilitada pelas drogas, pela doença,
pelo frio e pela miséria e solidão em que vivia, e que ao suspeitarem a
sua morte a atiraram para o fosso da garagem.
Na vigília por Gisberta, que juntou cerca de cinquenta pessoas, entre as
quais muitas representantes da comunidade LGBT, Rute, uma outra
transsexual que a conhecia e chegou a trabalhar com ela em melhores
tempos fazendo espectáculos de cabaret, comoveu até às lágrimas muitos
dos presentes ao proferir o seu sentimento de revolta por mais este
crime, manifestação da homofobia e intolerância face à diferença que
cresce na nossa sociedade.
Falou do imenso sofrimento que é diariamente imposto às transexuais e às
suas famílias, acossadas pela descriminação nas ruas, pelos vizinhos,
nos lugares públicos e excluídas da quase totalidade das ofertas de
emprego, escorraçadas para a prostituição, empurradas para as drogas,
abundantes nos meios em que se vêem circunscritas, drogas que mitigam as
dores psíquicas do estigma e da exclusão; e pressionadas para se
sujeitarem a renovadas operações de cirurgia plástica perseguindo uma
miragem de acolhimento social no desesperado esforço para se tornarem
conformes à imagem socialmente exigida do género a que sentem pertencer
e pelo qual precisam de ser reconhecidas e aceites.
“Somos pessoas normais, com os mesmos problemas e necessidades
quotidianas de toda a gente, não temos culpa de sermos assim e não
fazemos mal a ninguém. Porque não podem aceitar-nos?”
De notar que algumas das transsexuais presentes levantaram vozes em
defesa das crianças envolvidas, responsabilizando a forma violenta como
vivem e são tratadas e educadas pelos padres na "Oficina de S. José",
bem como as coisas que o sentimento de exclusão e a necessidade de se
integrarem e serem aceites nos grupos que formam os leva a fazer .
Infelizmente em Portugal, este país católico cheio de discursos a
presumir a bondade nacional e corações de Jesus a transbordar de
compaixão, parece retroceder a capacidade de nos questionarmos sobre se
aquilo que apontamos a dedo não será apenas o resultado da nossa
educação para o preconceito e o espelho da nossa intolerância e
indiferença.
For more information, see:
http://pt.indymedia.org/ler.php?numero=71608&cidade=1
News about the growing PROTEST over these events
>>>
office@tgeu.net 02/27/06 5:32 pm
>>>
THIS MAIL IS SENT REPRESENTATIVE FOR JÒ BERNARDO, ªt.,
jo_bernardo@clix.pt
WHO HAS PROBLEMS WITH MAILING
(Jo, TransX / http://tgeu.net)
***
GISBERTA
MURDER OF TRANSEXUAL IN PORTUGAL AND THE ON-GOING
ATTEMPT TO SILENCE IT:
URGENT APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL ACTION!
THE APPEAL
Towards a terrible murder that more and more is becoming a hate crime,
towards the biased omition of the sexual and transphobic component of
the
crime, towards the confused reaction of most LGBT portuguese
associations
that contributed to the huge amount of mediatic confusion and
desinformation, because they weren´t able to inform correctly about the
victim's identity nor about the diference between homophobia and
transphobia, towards the openly mediatic and political attempt of
minimization of the crime, of the omition of the "hate" component in the
death of a person, who acumulate so many social exclusions, towards the
attempt to blame the victim, and the public "silencing" of this case, we
appeal to the urgent support of all LGBT colectives and entities all
over
the world:
- to denounce as widely as you can the facts occured in
Portugal,
specially in the movements and national and international media;
- to protest - with knowledge to the portuguese LGBT
associations-
near the portuguese Government, official entities, political parties and
media because the way they are dealing with this case (the contacts are
in
the end of this message). The model letter, also in the end of this
message,
can be used to do it;
- to manifest near this same entities and portuguese LGBT
movement
your solidarity with the efforts made to change this dramatic situation.
- WE FIND IT FUNDAMENTAL, AT THIS POINT,
A STRONG INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE OVER PORTUGAL.
ABOUT THE FACTS
Gisberta, brasilian imigrant, transexual, HIV positive, having drug
problems, sex-worker and homeless, was found dead on the 22th of
February
inside a pit 10 metres deep, in an unfinished building in Oporto, the
second
biggest portuguese city. The crime was confessed by a group of 14 boys,
between 10 and 16 years old, most of them coming from a child protection
institution belonging to the Catholic Church although financed by the
state.
>From this confession, details of the dreadful act are being known. The
victim had a deeply fragile health condition, and she was frenquently
chassed by this boys, with insults and harassment. On the 19th, a group
of
this boys entered the unfinished and abandoned building where Gisberta
was
staying, tied her up, gagged and assaulted her with extreme violence,
kicking her, and beating her up with sticks and stones. The group also
confessed to have introduced sticks in Gisberta's anus, whose body
presented
great injuries, and have abandoned her at the scene. Her body presents
also
cigarette burning marks.
On the 20th and 21st, they have returned to the scene and repeated the
aggresions. By dawn, from the 21st to 22nd, they finnally threw her to
the
pit, attempting to hide the crime. The autopsy will clarify if she was
still
alive. Since her body wasn't floating, yet submerged in the bottom of
the
pit, indicates that she died drowned.
ABOUT THE REACTIONS AND THE GENERAL TRANSPHOBIA
This case was widely spread by the portuguese media on the 23rd and 24th
in
a biased and erroneous way. While some of the portuguese media mentioned
the
murder of a "tranvestite", most of them mentioned only her "homeless",
or
"homeless, sex worker, drug addict " condition. Gisberta was, also in
some
media, called Gisberto, her (masculine)legal name. According with this
omition, and even before any details about the murder or about the
identity
and personal caractheristics of the victim were knowed, many newspapers,
in
opinion columns, printed articles from opinion-makers (already knowed
in
Portugal for their personal oposition to LGBT rights), defendind that
this
couldn't be considered as a "hate crime", and that it wouldn't be
legitim to
consider any connection with Gisberta's transexuality amoung the
motivations
to the crime. Usually, the arguments were around the under age of most
agressors.
At the same time were, and still are, ignored by the media the press
releases of the portuguese lgbt associations, including the Panteras
Rosa
and the trans association (@t), clarifying the "transexuality" and
victims
identity, demanding legal and social measures against discriminations
and
protection against hate crimes motivated by gender identity, sexual
orientation, social condition, disease or national origin, though it was
vaguelly mentioned a solidarity vigilance (a citizen's iniciative
supported
by the lbgt associations) in the 24th evening, but, once again, the
media
ignored the arguments of the associations, asking the transexuality of
the
victim to be mentioned, as well as the transphobic discrimination as one
of
probable crime motivations.
Avoiding mentioning "hate crime" with the argument of the under age of
the
agressors, with the exception of a few politicians that expressed their
personal opinion, no portuguese political party gave any declaration nor
condemned this crime. From the Government, the only reaction came from
the
minister responsable for this under age institutions, that simply stated
"the feeling of shock", without any more words or comments, and demanded
an
inquiry to the institution where the agressors were. These, with the
exception of a 16 year boy, already criminaly rsponsable and who is
alrealy
in preventive inprisionment, were sent back to the institution and are
in a
semi-liberty regime. None other measure is know to be taken towards the
agressors. Psicological support for the 10 year old boys, for example?
No photo of the victim was printed in most newspapers. The media and the
opinion-makers focused the "shock" of the crime in the under age of the
agressors, and not in the death of a citizen. They gave voice to
insinuations of the responsable priest for the under age institution,
that
even said publicly that a boy from the institution was being "abused" by
a
pedophile, and this would be a "extenuating circumstance". These
declarations didn't lead to the publication of any reaction. Contrary to
the
current praxis, the data revealed on the 24th about the victim's sexual
harassment, aswell the possibility of Gisberta was still alive when she
thonwed at the pit, were only printed by a Oporto's newspaper. Only four
days after the crime was denounced, the media silence about it is almost
absolut, and everything signs that it will remain this way.
Jó Bernardo
Sérgio Vitorino
--------------------------
Saturday, 25th February 2006
Press Release
Panteras Rosa Movement - Combat front against
homophobia
ªt - Study and defence of the rights to gender
identity Association
Murder of Gisberta
Of crime, of hate, of the silencing in course, of
our anger.
Probably thrown into the trench while still alive. Victim not only of
aggression but also of sexual abuse. Day by day our indignation grows
with
the way that Gisberta's murder has been published, commented and
attenuated.
We think it's odd that today's television reports ignore the shocking
information released by the Portuguese newspaper "Jornal de Notícias":
there
is an obvious sexual component in this crime. Should it to be ignored
that
the victim was submitted to a particular kind of torture, like the
insertion of objects in the anus?
The priest Lino Maia, president of the IPSS's Union, stated yesterday
that
the boys would have "attenuating circumstances", because of a presumed
molestation from a pedophile to a colleague. In the presence of a
murder,
the church tries to blame the LGBT population, associating it once again
to
child molestation. This declaration only reinforces the conviction of
discriminatory motivation. The priest tries to excuse the institution he
runs and the boys he's responsable for: by saying that the they did
"justice
with their own hands" to respond to a presumed victim's non-related
episode,
he is precisely defining a hate crime.
"How was it possible?", asks yesterday's newspaper 'Público'. "How was
it
possible that it hasn't happened before?", we answer -Don't we know the
child protection system is just the continuation of abandon and
maltreatment? Don't we know of the violence and social exclusion and how
it
is promoted in Portugal? Don't we know of the discrimination towards
homeless people, HIV positives, prostitutes, homosexuals, gypsies,
immigrants, and specially transsexuals that even in the Gay community
are
highly excluded?
In 'Público' we may read "more likely an unconscious act than
premeditated".
What is unconscious and not premeditated in the transphobic insult and
in
four continuum days of aggression, extreme violence, torture and sexual
abuse? Of throwing a body in a trench without checking if it was still
alive?
It's shameful that even today the media don't recognise the difference
between a transsexual and a crossdresser, homophobia and transphobia,
sexual
orientation and gender identity. Journalists should put in serious
question
their professional conscience, their own preconceptions, the approaches
by
the media to the LGBT rights, with special incidence over the transexual
population, the more mocked, and disadvantaged and misunderstood in the
media universe and society.
Part of the social communication only referred to Gisberta as a
"homeless"
person. It's not up to journalists - or anybody else - to decide if it
was
the "homeless" feature - or another - that motivated this murder.
Unfortunately, it's up to the prejudice. Gisberta accumulated multiple
exclusions; none of them can be omitted. She was a transsexual and
transphobia victim. More than enumerate these exclusions, for we still
don't
know much on what really happened, to omit some is to hide probable
explanatory elements of this crime, without information that supports
it,
and it is a grosse manipulation and reinforcement of discrimination.
It's outrageous the silence of the political parties, even with the
predictable argument that it won't be wise to talk about "hate crime"
with
children involved. The issue is not to "criminalise" children of under
age.
The state should assume the responsibilities he never assumed in taking
care
of those that are "young". It should punish those in the age of being
responsable. But do not mix up "children" with "16 year-old youth" that
know
what killing means and - not forgetting the dramatic age from most of
the
group - do not attenuate the crime in itself and the prejudice in it.
The
feelings that generate hate are of the responsibility of adults and
those
who run the country.
We wont ask ourselves if children are capable of hating. Portuguese
society
hates, and it's in it that children grow. Anti-LGBT (and other) hate,
especially transphobia, is a serious social problem that reproduces
itself
among generations. The real question is, and can oly be, within the
combat
measures and prevention of the discrimination and inequalities in it's
whole - in the LGBT specific case, in the recognition of social rigths
and
equality and social legitimation. Yes, this time the crime was comitted
by
"young" people. But the transphobic, homophobic aggressions in Portugal
that
have risen in the last couple of years, were not, and the invariable
rule
has been its silencing and forgetfulness.
How about the next crime? Will we wait for one comitted by adults to
stand
up with a position? And to aggravate the laws (not in function of age)
to
protect against crimes and discrimination based on social condition,
desease, transphobia, homophobia, etc? To implement sexual education
against
prejudice in schools? To face the living hell that is the system of
child
(un)protection in this country? To invest in equality policies?
ªt. - Associação para o Estudo e Defesa do Direito à Identidade de
Género
(Association for the study and defense to the rigth to Gender Identity)
*
Trav. do Monte do Carmo,1 1200-276 Lisbon - Portugal * Tel. + 351 21 324
03
46 * Fax. + 351 21 324 03 47 * e-mail.
a.trans@clix.pt * site.
http://a-trans.planetaclix.pt
Contact: Jó Bernardo + 351 91 760 68 65 /
jo_bernardo@clix.pt
Panteras Rosa - Frente de Combate à Homofobia (Pink Panthers -Combat
Front
Against Homophobia) * Apartado 1323 - 1009-001 Lisbon - Portugal *
Panteras.Rosas@sapo.pt *
www.panterasrosa.blogspot.com
Contact: Sérgio Vitorino + 351 91 941 46 13 /
svitorino@gmail.com
SUGGESTION OF
PROTEST LETTER
We have just known that Gisberta, brasilian imigrant, transexual, HIV
positive, drug user, sex worker and homeless, was found dead on the 22th
of
February in an unfinished building in the city of Oporto, and that the
crime
was confessed by a group of 14 boys, aged from 10 to 16 years old, most
of
them coming from a child protection institution.
We were also informed that the victim had a deeply fragile health
condition,
and she was frenquently chassed by these boys, with insults and
harassment.
That on the 19th, a group of this boys entered the unfinished and
abandoned
building where Gisberta was staying, tied her up, gagged and assaulted
her
with extreme violence, kicking her, and beating her up with sticks and
stones. That the group also confessed to have introduced sticks in
Gisberta's
anus, whose body presented great injuries, and have abandoned her at the
scene. That her body presents also cigarette burning marks. That on the
20th
and 21st, they have returned to the scene and repeated the aggresions.
That
by dawn, from the 21st to 22nd, they finnally threw her to the pit,
attempting to hide the crime. That the autopsy will clarify if she was
still
alive, since her body wasn't floating, yet submerged in the bottom of
the
pit, indicates that she died drowned.
This case was widely spread by the portuguese media on the 23rd and 24th
in
a biased and erroneous way. While some of the portuguese media mentioned
the
murder of a "tranvestite", most of them mentioned only her "homeless",
or
"homeless, sex worker, drug addict " condition. Gisberta was, also in
some
media, called Gisberto, her (masculine)legal name. According with this
omition, and even before any details about the murder or about the
identity
and personal caractheristics of the victim were knowed, many newspapers,
in
opinion columns, printed articles from opinion-makers (already knowed
in
Portugal for their personal oposition to LGBT rights), defendind that
this
couldn't be considered as a "hate crime", and that it wouldn't be
legitim to
consider any connection with Gisberta's transexuality amoung the
motivations
to the crime. Usually, the arguments were around the under age of most
agressors.
We have also known that at the same time were, and still are, being
ignored
by the media the press releases of the portuguese lgbt associations,
including the Panteras Rosa and the trans association (@t), clarifying
the
"transexuality" and victims identity, demanding legal and social
measures
against discriminations and protection against hate crimes motivated by
gender identity, sexual orientation, social condition, disease or
national
origin, though it was vaguelly mentioned a solidarity vigilance (a
citizen's
iniciative supported by the lbgt associations) in the 24th evening, but,
once again, the media ignored the arguments of the associations, asking
the
transexuality of the victim to be mentioned, as well as the transphobic
discrimination as one of probable crime motivations.
It becomes clear that, by avoiding mentioning "hate crime" with the
argument
of the under age of the agressors, with the exception of a few
politicians
that expressed their personal opinion, no portuguese political party as
such
took a stand nor condemned this crime. From the Government, the only
reaction came from the minister responsable for this under age
institutions,
that simply stated "the feeling of shock", without any more words or
comments, and demanded an inquiry to the institution where the agressors
were. These, with the exception of a 16 year boy, already criminaly
responsable and who is alrealy in preventive inprisionment, were sent
back
to the institution and are in a semi-liberty regime. None other measure
is
known to be taken towards the agressors. Psicological support for the 10
year old boys, for example?
- We find odd that no photo of the victim was printed in most
newspapers. The media and the opinion-makers focused the "shock" of the
crime in the under age of the agressors, and not in the death of a
citizen.
They gave voice to insinuations of the responsable priest for the under
age
institution, that even said publicly that a boy from the institution was
being "abused" by a pedophile, and this would be a "extenuating
circumstance". These declarations didn't lead to the publication of any
reaction. Contrary to the current praxis, the data revealed on the 24th
about the victim's sexual harassment, aswell the possibility of
Gisberta
being still alive when she was throwed at the pit, were only printed by
an
Oporto's newspaper. Only four days after the crime was denounced, a
sudden
media silence about it is almost absolut, and everything
- Uma situação de desrespeito pelos direitos humanos mais
elementares, que não podemos qualificar apenas de inadmissível num país
da
União Europeia em pleno século XXI.
Facing a terrible murder that configurates as a most likely hate crime,
facing tendencious omitions of the sexual and transphobic component of
the
crime, facing an aparent mediatical and political attempt of
devalorizing of
the crime itself, facing the omition of the "hate" component in the
death of
a person that acumulated so many social exclusions, facing attempts to
responsabilise the victim, and publicly silencing this case, we came
this
way to express:
- our complete solidarity with the victim and the portuguese
activists that are trying to clear the facts and honour the memory of
Gisberta, and demading prevention and combat measures against the
discrimations, without excludind protective legistation against the
transphobic, lesbophobic, homophobic and biphobic discrimination and
violence;
- our demand of respect for the positions defended by the same
activists and efectivation of the measures that they have been defending
as
urgent;
- our complete incomprehension of the way the portuguese
political
responsable and media are dealing with the crime, of the manipulation of
the
facts and the absence of adequate answers to the described situation.
- A situation that, being confirmed, represents a total
desrespect
for the most elementar humam rights, that cannot be qualified only as
unnaceptable in a country of the European Union, XXI century.
CONTACTS FOR SENDING PROTESTS:
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC
belem@presidenciarepublica.pt
MINISTER'S COUNCIL PRESIDENCY write on-line at
http://www.portugal.gov.pt/Portal/PT/Geral/Contactos (limit 4000 c.)
GOVERNMENT
Primeiro Ministro pm@pm.gov.pt
Secretário de Estado Adjunto do Primeiro-Ministro
gseapm@pm.gov.pt
Ministro de Estado e da Administração Interna
gabinete.ministro@mai.gov.pt
Secretário de Estado Adjunto e da Administração Local
gseaal@seaal.gov.pt
Ministro de Estado e dos Negócios Estrangeiros
ministro@mne.gov.pt
Ministro dos Assuntos Parlamentares
map@map.gov.pt
Secretário de Estado da Juventude e do Desporto
sejd@sejd.gov.pt
Ministro do Trabalho e da Solidariedade Social
gmtss@mtss.gov.pt
Secretário de Estado da Segurança Social
gabinete.sess@mtss.gov.pt
Secretário de Estado do Emprego e Formação Profissional
gseef@mtss.gov.pt
Secretária de Estado Adjunta e da Reabilitação
gabinete.sear@mtss.gov.pt
Ministra da Educação gme@me.gov.pt
Secretário de Estado Adjunto e da Educação
se.adj-educacao@me.gov.pt
Secretário de Estado da Educação
se.educacao@me.gov.pt
Ministro da Saúde gms@ms.gov.pt
Secretário de Estado da Saúde
gses@ms.gov.pt
Ministra da Cultura gmc@mc.gov.pt
Secretário de Estado da Cultura
gsec@mc.gov.pt
Governo civil porto
info@govcivilporto.gov.pt
CATHOLIC CHURCH
Secretariado Diocesano de Pastoral Juvenil (SDPJ)
juventude@patriarcado-lisboa.pt
Bispo Auxiliar do Porto
domantoniocarrilho@diocese-porto.pt
Bispo Diocesano do Porto
domarmindo@diocese-porto.pt
PARLIAMENT
GABINETE DO PRESIDENTE DA ASSEMBLEIA DA REPÚBLICA
gabpar@ar.parlamento.pt
POLITICAL PARTIES - PARLAMENTARY GROUPS
Grupo Parlamentar do Partido Socialista
gp_ps@ps.parlamento.pt
Grupo Parlamentar do Partido Social Democrata
gp_psd@psd.parlamento.pt
Grupo Parlamentar do Partido Comunista Português
gp_pcp@pcp.parlamento.pt
Grupo Parlamentar do Partido Popular
gp_pp@pp.parlamento.pt
Grupo Parlamentar do Bloco de Esquerda
blocoar@ar.parlamento.pt
Grupo Parlamentar do Partido Ecologista "Os Verdes"
PEV.correio@pev.parlamento.pt
LGBT COLLECTIVES
Associação Ursos de Portugal
info@ursosdeportugal.org
ILGA Portugal
ilga-portugal@ilga.org
Opus Gay anser@netcabo.pt
rede ex aequo rede@ex-aequo.web.pt
Clube Safo
clubesafo@clubesafo.com
PortugalGay.PT info@portugalgay.pt
não te prives
naoteprives@yahoo.com
Grupo Lilás
revista_lilas@hotmail.com
Panteras Rosa Panteras.Rosa@sapo.pt
ªT. a.trans@clix.pt
PRESS E TV'S:
Impresa ( Expresso, Visão)
impresa@impresa.pt
Contacto para Imprensa Clix
imprensa@co.clix.pt
Jornal Público publico@publico.pt
Jornal de Notícias noticias@jn.pt
Diário de Notícias - dnot@dn.pt
Rádio TSF - write on-line (small blue button at the left side - "fale
connosco") -
http://tsf.sapo.pt/online/primeira/default.asp
Correio da Manhã -
direccao@correiomanha.pt ;
reportagem@correiomanha.pt
;
geral@correiomanha.pt ;
geral@correiomanha.pt ;
redaccao@correiomanha.pt
Agência LUSA - agencialusa@lusa.pt
; dinformacao@lusa.pt ;
redaccao@lusa.pt ;
nacional@lusa.pt
RTP - write on-line:
http://www.rtp.pt/wportal/participe/formulario.php
TVI - write on-line (at the link for "direcção de informação - aqui"):
http://www.tvi.iol.pt/artigo.php?id=373399#
SIC/ SIC-NOTÍCIAS
contacto@siconline.pt ;
atendimento@sic.pt
---------------------------------------------------------------
Steering Mailing List / Part of TgEU.NET
More information in the www.tgeu.net
Members Area
Alert from Pink Panthers of Portugal
regarding scandalous judgment of courts
May 17, 2006
Translated from the Spanish by Curtis E. Hinkle on behalf of the Pateras Rosa
The group Pink Panthers (Panteras Rosa of Portugal) is asking for international support against the scandalous judgment of the courts which let the murderers of the transsexual woman Gisberta go scot free and is requesting for solidarity in denouncing this in front of Portuguese embassies and consulates this coming June 8.
The judge decided to suspend the sentence against the aggressors which was to be rendered in mid-May, because in his opinion "Gisberta died from drowning and did not die directly from causes related" to the brutal beating she received. (The fact that she was dragged and thrown into the well by the aggressors does not seem relevant) The crime remains therefore unpunished and the aggressors free.
For more information:
www.panterasrosa.com
Article in Spanish: http://www.diagonalperiodico.net/pdf30/43diagonal30-web.pdf
You can read an article I translated from Portuguese about this at:
http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/TS/News/Portugal/Look%20in%20the%20Mirror,%20Portugal.html
POR FAVOR LEE Y DIFUNDE ESTE MENSAJE
El grupo Panteras Rosa (Portugal) pide apoyo internacional ante la escandalosa decisión judicial por la que queda impune el asesinato de la transexual Gisberta y convoca a concentraciones de denuncia frente a embajadas y consulados portugueses para el próximo día 8 de junio.
El juez ha decidido suspender el juicio contra los agresores, previsto para mediados de mayo, dado que en su opinón "Gisberta murió ahogada y no murió por causas directamente relacionadas" con la brutal paliza que recibió. (El que muriera ahogada en el pozo adonde la arrojaron los agresores no parece ser un dato relevante en opinión del juez.) El crimen queda, por tanto, impune y los agresores, en libertad.
Más información:
www.panterasrosa.com
Artículo en castellano: http://www.diagonalperiodico.net/pdf30/43diagonal30-web.pdf
European TransGender Network
May 19, 2006
TRANSSEXUAL MURDERED IN
PORTUGAL
ENSUING COVER UP OF A HATE CRIME
APPEAL FOR INTERNATIONAL ACTION ON 8 JUNE
Dear TransGenders, dear Communities, dear Friends,
February 2006, Gisberta Salce Júnior, a Brazilian transsexual living in
extreme social exclusion in the Portuguese city of Oporto, was tortured
and
anally raped with sticks over a period of three days and then thrown
into a
pit and left to die in an abandoned construction site.
A group of twelve to fourteen adolescent boys between the age of 12 and
16
admitted to committing this crime. The youths were living in a "minor
protection" institution run by the Catholic church.
Gisberta had been in very poor health. She was HIV Positive, and had
tuberculosis. She lived on the streets, and engaged in sex work to earn
some
money.
This crime was given misleading coverage in the Portuguese media. The
judiciary defined it down and the political establishment ignored it.
This
mistreatment ranged from trying to dehumanise Gisberta. The press
refused to
publish her photo, by echoing the church hierarchy's insinuation that
she
had harassed the boys, by neglecting to mention that she was transsexual
and
by ignoring the public statements of the LGBT organisations.
Recent developments raise the likelihood that not even the oldest boy ,
who's
age would allow to be held legally responsible for his actions, will
have to
face trial for murder. In fact the case is being addressed by justice as
a
case of simple aggression. In Portugal, everything possible is being
done to
forget this horrible crime - without consequences, actions or legal
changes.
Gisberta Salce Júnior's accumulation of social exclusion and degradation
clearly lays bare the marginalisation of transsexuals in Portugal. Her
case
is a very clear demonstration of the high level of aggression and
transphobic attitudes in Portuguese society. Any public debate is
stifled in
Portugal before it even starts - and cannot be restarted without
international pressure.
Therefore, the European TransGender Network in cooperation with
Portuguese
organisations sends out this appeal for international action on 8 June
in
front of Portuguese embassies and consulates
in order to express support for the efforts of Portuguese activists and
encourage the Portuguese government to acknowledge that a very serious
hate-crime took place and to take responsibility.
We call for:
* a fundamental reform of the "minor protection" system in Portugal (*)
* a social policy of assistance for marginalized groups - including
immigrants, persons with HIV, homeless persons, drug users and sex
workers -
instead of a politics of exclusion.
* the explicit inclusion of "gender identity" in anti discrimination
legislation and protection in hate crimes that are motivated by
transphobia
to penal legislation.
* initiatives to promote awareness for the situation of transgendered
persons and to work against transphobic and homophobic attitudes in
school,
on the work place, in police forces and in the general population.
* full gender recognition including the right to free choice of first
names and a "gender recognition" law similar to the British "Gender
Recognition Act of 2004".
* less patronising medical treatment of transsexuals, including free
access to medical treatment and free choice of medical practitioners,
financial support for surgery and treatments abroad, to promote correct
medical formation for this area in the Portuguese health system.
The TGEUnet urges all concerned activists and organizations in Europe
and
around the world to plan for actions on this date and to inform us what
is
to be undertaken to the following contacts:
jo.sch@tgeu.net and
svitorino@gmail.com.
A documentary - "Gisberta | Liberdade" - has been filmed by TGEUnet and
Portuguese activists. Release date is May 26. This film on DVD will be
available on request from the above contacts to support international
discussion and mobilization for June 8.
Preview: Trailer downloadable from
http://tgeu.net.
Love and power
Eurpoean TransGender Network
Steering Committee
http://tgeu.net *
tgeurope@tgeu.net
(*) The so-called "minor protection" system pushes half of the
"protected
minors" to church institutions, mixes children in need of protection
from
domestic violence with youth institutionalised for penal reasons and
establishes a system of overcrowded "warehouses" of children and youth
that
provide no education and no protection but social exclusion.
A change of this system would need real state investment to install a
system
of effective protection, care and education as well as specific
formation
for judges that assume the "minor" courts, which is today inexistent.
Important Update:
Killers go free - Protests to be made at Portuguese Embassies on June 8th
PLEASE READ AND FORWARD THIS MESSAGE
Translated from the Spanish by Curtis E. Hinkle
of the Organisation Intersex International
www.intersexualite.org
on behalf of the Pateras Rosa
The group Pink Panthers (Panteras Rosa of Portugal) is asking for
international support against the scandalous judgment of the courts
which let the murderers of the transsexual woman Gisberta go scot free
and is requesting for solidarity in denouncing this in front of
Portuguese embassies and consulates this coming June 8.
The judge decided to suspend the sentence against the aggressors which
was to be rendered in mid-May, because in his opinion "Gisberta died
from drowning and did not die directly from causes related" to the
brutal beating she received. (The fact that she was dragged and
thrown into the well by the aggressors does not seem relevant) The
crime remains therefore unpunished and the aggressors free.
For more information:
www.panterasrosa.com
Article in Spanish:
http://www.diagonalperiodico.net/pdf30/43diagonal30-web.pdf
You can read an article I translated from Portuguese about this at:
http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/TS/News/Portugal/Look%20in%20the%20Mirror,%20Portugal.html
POR FAVOR LEE Y DIFUNDE
ESTE MENSAJE
El grupo Panteras Rosa (Portugal) pide apoyo internacional ante la
escandalosa decisión judicial por la que queda impune el asesinato de
la transexual Gisberta y convoca a concentraciones de denuncia frente
a embajadas y consulados portugueses para el próximo día 8 de junio.
El juez ha decidido suspender el juicio contra los agresores, previsto
para mediados de mayo, dado que en su opinón "Gisberta murió ahogada y
no murió por causas directamente relacionadas" con la brutal paliza
que recibió. (El que muriera ahogada en el pozo adonde la arrojaron
los agresores no parece ser un dato relevante en opinión del juez.) El
crimen queda, por tanto, impune y los agresores, en libertad.
Más información:
www.panterasrosa.com
Artículo en castellano:
http://www.diagonalperiodico.net/pdf30/43diagonal30-web.pdf
BITTE LEST DIESE NACHRICHT UND LEITET SIE WEITER
Übersetzt aus der englischen Übersetzung des spanischen Originals, die
Curtis E. Hinkle von der Organisation Intersex Original
www.intersexualite.org
im Namen der Pateras Rosa angefertigt hat.
Die Gruppe Rosa Panther Pink Panthers (Panteras Rosa of Portugal) bittet
um
internationale Unterstützung gegen die skandalöse Gerichtsentscheidung,
die die Mörder der Transsexuellen Gisberta ungeschoren davonkommenläßt
und bittet darum, am 8. Juni eine Solidaritätskundgebung vor den
portugiesischen Botschaften und Konsulaten durchzuführen.
Das Gericht entschied, das Urteil gegen die Agressoren aufzuheben, das
Mitte Mai gefällt wurde, weil nach seiner Auffassung "Gisberta ertrank
und
nicht unmittelbar durch" die brutale Misshandlung gestorben sei. (Die
Tatsache, dass sie an diese Grube gezerrt und hineingestoßen wurde,
schein
nicht von Bedeutung zu sein.) Das Verbrechen bleibt deshalb ungesühnt
und
die Angreifer in Freiheit.
Weitere Informationen:
www.panterasrosa.com
Article in Spanish:
http://www.diagonalperiodico.net/pdf30/43diagonal30-web.pdf
You can read an article I translated from Portuguese about this at:
http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/TS/News/Portugal/Look%20in%20the%20Mirror,%20Portugal.html
The following brief item
comes from the website of "Associação ILGA
Portugal" (ILGA Portugal). Jane tells me that Pedro Abrunhosa is one of
Portugal's best-known singers.
ILGA Europe -
http://www.ilga-europe.org/ (English)
ILGA Portugal -
http://www.ilga-portugal.pt/ (Portuguese)
- Christine
----
PEDRO ABRUNHOSA DEDICATES A BALLAD TO GISBERTA.
Pedro Abrunhosa's latest composition is a tribute to Gisberta, a
transsexual woman murdered in Oporto in February. It will be included
in the singer's fifth album, to be released shortly, but Abrunhosa took
everyone by surprise when he presented the song the day before yesterday
at the "Queima das Fitas" show, in Oporto itself.
The show was half-way through when Pedro Abrunhosa announced that just
the day before he'd finished a song that he was dedicating "to a
transsexual woman murdered by a group of delinquents", then going on to
speak a little about Gisberta. "The Ballad of Gisberta" has a slow
tempo and is in Abrunhosa's usual style.
----
Source: Website of "Associação ILGA Portugal", June 8, 2006, original
article attributed to the newspaper "Correio da Manhã".
Translated by Jane Brook.
Link to a video about Gisberta's murder made for the 8th of June protest by the Groupe Activiste Trans' from Paris:
Note: Click on banner at the top of the page at the link below. This will take you to the video. Ignore the "error message" on the video page, and click play to watch the video.
la vidéo réalisée par le GAT à l'occasion du rassemblement du 8 juin contre
les autorités consulaires portugaises (meurtre de Gisberta) est disponible
ici :
http://transencolere.free.fr/GISBERTA_8juin06/appel_rassemblement_8juin06.htm
__._,_.___
The link is :
LynnConway.com > TS Information > News > Look in the Mirror, Portugal