January 30, 1997

Mr. Secretary,

  I have the honor to forward to you the application submitted to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights against the Republic of Guatemala in connection with Case No. 11.383 concerning Anstraum Villagrán-Morales, Henry Giovani Contreras, Federico Clemente Figueroa-Túnchez, Julio Roberto Caal-Sandoval, and Jovito Josué Juárez-Cifuentes. May I further inform you that the Commission will be submitting the aforementioned petition, together with its enclosures, in ten copies by special courier within the next few days.

  The Commission has decided to appoint Ambassador John Donaldson and Dean Claudio Grossman as its Delegates, to be assisted by Dr. David J. Padilla, Deputy Executive Secretary, and Dr. Elizabeth H. Abi-Mershed, an attorney at the Secretariat.

  Also assisting the Commission, pursuant to Article 22 (2) of the Rules of Procedure of the Inter-American Court, will be the following attorneys who will represent the victim's relatives: Dr. Ariel Dulitzky, Dr. Viviana Krsticevic, Mr. Alejandro Valencia-Villa (CEJIL), Dr. Francisco Cox-Vial (CEJIL/MESOAMERICA), and Dr. José Miguel Vivanco (Human Rights Watch/Americas).

  Pursuant to the provisions of Article 32 of the Rules of Procedure of the Inter-American Court, this application is submitted in English, one of the official working languages of the Court. The Commission will submit the Spanish version as soon as the official translation is provided by the Languages Department of the OAS General Secretariat.

  Accept, Sir, the assurances of my highest and most distinguished consideration.

(s)

Domingo E. Acevedo

Deputy Executive Secretary

in charge of the Executive Secretariat

Lic. Manuel E. Ventura-Robles

Secretary

Inter-American Court of Human Rights

San José, Costa Rica